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PHUKET: A man has been arrested and charged for attempted murder following a knife attack on Wednesday night in the Ket Ho Community of Kathu.

The arrest was announced today (January 30) by Toong Thong Police.

On January 27, 4.45pm Mr Prasop Ketkaeo was admitted to Vachira Phuket Hospital where he was treated for four stab wounds – on his torso, collarbone, elbow and face..

The patient named the man who stabbed him as Mr Songyot Saekoi, for which an arrest warrant was issued by a Phuket court this morning (January 30) and served promptly.

Pr Prasop told police that at the time of the incident, he was walking on the street in front of his house, holding his niece [or nephew], when he alleged that Mr Songyot came to attack him by surprise, before fleeing the scene.

Mr Songyot faces attempted murder charges. Police have not released any statement from the suspect and provided any other details about the attack.

38-year-old Ma Yo will face charges of assisting her husband detain people against their will.

The 32 men, all Myanmar nationals, are believed to be the victims of human trafficking and have been taken to Phuket City Police to be questioned.

Phuket City Police led by Lt Col Khunnadet Na Nongkhai together with human traffic crime suppression police, Mr Ko Tee from the Myanmar Embassy Thailand and officials from the Labour Right Promotion Network (LPN) yesterday arrested 38-year-old Ma Yo at a shelter at the entrance to the fishing pier in Rassda.

Officials rescued the 32 men who claim to have been tricked into coming to work as fishermen and have since been forced into the fishing industry by Ma Yo and her husband.

Lt Col Khunnadet said that the arrest came after one Myanmar migrant named Nai escaped from a fishing boat and managed to borrow a mobile phone from a local resident. He immediately called his family in Myanmar and requested they alert the embassy about the group’s situation.

According to Nai, he and the other 32 men had been forced to work in the fishing industry. He also claimed the men had been abused and assaulted, did not receive any pay, and were locked in a shelter until they were sent to work.

This led police to raid the shelter where Nai alleged the men had been kept, and upon doing so they discovered the 32 men inside and were able to arrest Ma Yo. However, her husband 36-year-old husband Arpad or Ko Pae got away.

Ma Yo was taken to Phuket City Police station where she admitted that her husband is an agent who provides migrant workers for the fishing industry. She also told police that he would trick the workers into working in the fishing industry.

It is alleged that Arpad gets the workers from another agent in Prachuab Khirikhan before handing them over to people involved in the fishing industry in Phuket once a price for the men has been agreed.

Ma Yo claims that she is only involved in her husband’s accounts and cooking for the migrants.

Ma Yo will face charges of assisting her husband detain people against their will.

PHUKET: A woman fleeing police with stolen items worth more than B300,000 leaped from a third-story Patong apartment balcony this morning (Jan 26) only to burst through the roof she landed on – and crash land in a neighbour’s bathroom.

Soraya Chantasri, 23, was found on her neighbour’s bathroom floor with two bags containing stolen items. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub

Officers took Soraya Chantasri, 23, from Buriram, into custody at the Laylatong Apartment in Soi Paradise at 11am, Capt Suchart Luecha of the Thalang Police explained at a press conference this morning.

“When we arrived at her room on the third floor and knocked, no one answered. Then we heard a sound of something breaking on a floor below, where we found Soraya with two bags.”

In the bags were computer parts, mobile phones, an Apple Mac mini, a Mac keyboard, chargers, pliers, a hammer and a screwdriver, he added.

Above Soraya were holes through her neighbour’s roof and bathroom ceiling. She suffered only minor injuries in her landing.

“Her partner, ‘Max’, escaped,” said Capt Suchart.

Police had tracked Soraya down while investigating a burglary in Pa Khlok, Thalang, he added.

“Ms Kotha reported that her Samsung mobile phone, a MacBook Air, a MacBook Mini, a wallet with B15,000 cash and credit cards, and a passport issued to Peter John Horilton were stolen,” he said.

“We went to investigate soon after learned from a security guard that he suspected a man and a woman seen in the area earlier that night.

“We checked CCTV and tracked down the license plate number of the suspects’ motorbike, which was registered to a Mr Max Cotter, 27, a Thai national registered as living at an address in Srisoonthorn.

“Mr Cotter was arrested twice in Kathu on theft charges and was released from jail last October. When we went to his home he was not there, but today an undercover policeman told us that Max was living with his girlfriend at Laylatong in Patong, where we arrested Soraya,” he said.

Soraya confessed that she and Max broke into and robbed Ms Kotha’s home at 1:30am on Saturday, said Capt Suchart.

“She said that Max had sold most of the stolen items already. They would break up the stolen computers and sell the parts,” he said.

At the press conference this morning, Mr Horilton had his mobile phone, MacBook Air and MacBook Mini returned, but not his passport or cash.

Soraya has been charged with committing theft in the nighttime using getaway vehicle, confirmed Capt Suchart.

A Provincial Police Crime Suppression Unit led by Pol Lt Ritthichai Chumchoy arrested the three men who between them were found to be in possession of drugs, a gun and ammunition. The three were named as Songkan Badan, 33, from Kalasin; Arwuth Kongsong, 27, from Krabi and Thitinan Thiprin, 27, from Nakorn Sri Thammarat.

Pol Lt Ritthichai said that undercover police followed Songkan after learning that he had been selling drugs to teenagers and drug dealers in Thalang and surrounding areas.

“On Jan 24 at 1:30pm we received a tip-off that Songkan was going to deliver drugs to his client. We learned that he had a rented room in Soi Noptakaew so a team went there. They spotted his vehicle in the car park so decided to raid his room. Inside we discovered 16 bags of ya ice weighing 19.17g, five ya bah pills, drug taking paraphernalia and one digital scale,” he said.

He explained, “Songkan said he bought the drugs from a man known only as Go in Thai Muang in Phang-nga and also gave up two names of his clients. This led to the arrests of Arwuth at a rented room in Soi Thida in Wichit and Thitinan in a rented room behind the Big C also in Wichit.

“Arwuth was arrested with .89 grams of ya ice, five ya bah pills and 57.30g of marijuana, digital scales and drug taking paraphernalia,” he said.

Songkan was charged with possession of Category 1 drugs with intent to sale, Arwuth with illegal possession of Category 1 and Category 5 drugs, and Thitinan with illegal possession of Category 1 drugs with intent to sell and illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition.

PHUKET: Police are currently trying to identify the body of a man believed to be Thai who was found floating in Bang Wad Dam this afternoon (Jan 20). Due to wounds found on the mans neck, police suspect he was the victim of a murder.

Rescue workers insect the body before removing it from the dam.

Lt Col Amponwat Sangraing from Thung Thong Police received a call from a local resident at 2pm today stating that a body had been spotted floating in Bang Wad Dam in Wichitsongkram Rd, Kathu. Police arrived and were led to where the body of the man was floating face up in the water.

“The victim has a lot of tattoos on his back and he was found with his neck twisted. No other injuries were found on the body and there was no identification card on him. However, officers did find a Honda Wave with a Nakorn Sri Thammarat plate parked nearby along with some clothing, a hammock and empty bottles of alcohol,” he said.

“Underneath the motorbike’s seat we found one blue motorbike taxi vest with Nanai Soi Sombat on the back and a Vachira medical insurance card of Chanon Chumpimai. We are not sure if these items belong to the victim,” he added.

“We think the victim had been dead for at least one day. Maybe he was hanging out in this area with his friends and got into a fight and they killed him and dumped the body in the water. Whatever reason, we are investigating this case and we have transferred the body to Patong Hospital for doctors to confirm cause of death.”

PHUKET: Armed with search warrants, a police task force of at least 27 law-enforcement officers today (Jan 20) arrested a man after an arsenal of firearms and hundreds of rounds of ammunition were found at his home near Paradise Beach, on the headland south of Patong.

Col Sutthichai (centre) said that the raid followed reports of heavy gunfire in the area on Christmas Day.

Officers led by Lt Col Sutthichai Tienpo of the Kathu Police placed Sompong Sakultab under arrest at a home on Meun-ngern Rd, near the entrance to Paradise Beach.

At the home, police seized two M16 assault rifles; one .357 calibre rifle; a shotgun; a Sig Sauer 9mm handgun; one long and two short suppressors (“silencers”); two bulletproof vests and over 900 rounds of ammunition.

Col Sutthichai explained to The Phuket News that the raid followed reports of heavy gunfire near the entrance of Paradise Beach at about 9pm on December 25.

“During our ensuing investigation, we found that on that same afternoon (before the gunfire) a man had filed a complaint to the Kathu Police reporting that he had some problem with Sompong over ownership of a plot of land at the entrance of Paradise Beach,” Col Sutthichai said.

“We also found that Mr Sompong had been involved in a previous the land encroachment case and was considered an ‘influential man’ in the area,” Col Sutthichai said, but declined to name the man who had filed the complaint.

“We believed that the sound of the gunfire (on Dec 25) came from Mr Sompong’s house, and hence we applied for warrants to search the property,” Col Sutthichai said.

“We also believe that the heavy gunfire was intended to threaten or intimidate the man who filed the complaint,” he added.

Col Sutthichai said that Sompong, aged in his “mid-40s”, was a “businessman”, known for dealing in real estate.

“He also is a restaurant owner and operates water supply truck in the Patong area,” Col Sutthichai added.

Sompong has been charged with illegal possession of weapons of war and other firearms and illegal possession of ammunition.

“We are also looking into charges for firing the weapons and we will investigate the possible land dispute,” Col Sutthichai said.

PHUKET: A man from Bulgaria was arrested for fraud on Monday (Jan 18) when he was caught using cloned credit cards to withdraw cash from an ATM machine outside of a 7Eleven store in Karon. Police seized from the man a total of 130 cloned cards.

A shot of Tulumbadzhiev as he withdraws money from an ATM.

The arrest of the man, 31-year-old Boris Krasimirov Tulumbadzhiev, was announced at a press conference held today (Jan 20) by Phuket Provincial Police Chief Col Teeraphol Thipjareon today where Tulumbadzhiev was presented along with the 130 cloned cards, B10,000 cash, skimmer machine, transaction receipt from Kasikorn ATM and other seized items.

Col Teeraphol explained, “Phuket City Police’s Lt Col Prawit Engchuwn and a team from Kasikorn Bank help to make the arrest Tulumbadzhiev.

“A money laundering and fraud investigation started after Kasikorn Bank suspected a foreign man had been using cloned credit cards to withdraw cash from their ATM machines in Patong, Kamala, Cherng Talay area on Sunday (Jan 17),” he said.

“Tulumbadzhiev was arrested at 12:30pm on Monday at an ATM machine at a 7eleven in Karon after withdrawing B10,000 using one of the cloned cards.

“He had been followed to Karon by officers after he had also withdrawn money from an ATM at a Family Mart on Sirirat Rd in Patong. He then went back to his hotel room on Soi Nainai before going to Karon,” Col Teeraphol added.

He went on to say that police found that this is the second time Tulumbadzhiev had entered Thailand, the first being on Nov 5 via Suwannaphum. He left Nov 11 but returned again on Jan 11 via Phuket.

“We know that he committed fraud several times on Jan 17 and twice on Jan 18,” Col Teeraphol said.

“Officers were able to apprehend Tulumbadzhiev within 24 hour of hearing from Kasikor Bank which is very quick.

“Phuket is a tourist destination and 90 per cent of foreigners use cards to pay for their expenses so security is a priority,” he said.

Tulumbadzhiev is to be charged with fraud and possession of cloned cards for criminal purposes.

PHUKET: Police are currently hunting for one of more people believed to have been involved in the shooting of a man near the Srisoonthorn Municipality office last night (Jan 19). The man is still in hospital recovering from gunshot wounds.

34-year-old Rawi Suksomran is treated for his wounds at the scene of the shooting. Photo: Ekkapop Thongtub

Pol Capt Santichai Srimai from Thalang Police received a call at 11:50pm last night to investigate a shooting that occurred opposite the Srisoonthon Municipality office on the northbound side of Thepkassattri Rd.

Upon arrival, police found the wounded man, 34-year-old Rawi Suksomran from Thalang with gunshot wounds to his chest, leg and buttocks.

Rescue workers initially took Mr Rawi to Thalang Hospital for treatment, however, he began having breathing difficulties so was transferred to Mission Hospital.

Capt Santichai said, “We found the victim’s motorbike lying on the road and there was a 9mm bullet case nearby.

“We were told that the victim was riding his motorbike past Heroine’s Monument heading towards the Thalang junction when he was shot. Witnesses said they heard three gunshots and then saw the man fall from his motorbike into the road so they called us,” he said.

“At this time we are still investigating and looking at CCTV for any evidence of the suspect/s. We have to wait for the victim to recover from his injuries before we can question him about the shooting,” Capt Santichai added.

PHUKET: Twelve men, including two Thalang riot suspects, were arrested on Sunday (Jan 17) when they were found to be in possession of drugs, guns and ammunition as police continue with during their anti-drug and -crime campaign.

Gov Chamroen Tipayapongtada speaks at a press conference held to announce the arrest of the 12 men. Photo: Ekkapop Thongtub

In an increased effort to get rid of drug in the Thalang area, Phuket Governor, Thalang district chief and Thalang police launched a massive anti-drug and -crime campaign in the early hours of yesterday morning with more than 120 police, navy and defense volunteers involved.

Police arrested 10 men who were found in possession of drugs, guns and ammunition and two suspects believed to have been involved in the Thalang riots. The 12 were named as follow:

Samai Baochai with a pistol and two magazines.

Sommai Kongnam with one litre of kratom juice, one pistol and five bullets.

Worachart Ratso in connection with the Thalang riots.

Tanongsak Tanapetch in connection with the Thalang riots.

Kitipong Kaewkong with two pistols and nine bullets.

Rungroj Surin with an unregistered rifle and 53 bullets.

Pornsak Wanthong with 33 bundles of kratom leaves and a Thai pradit gun.

All of the arrested were taken to Thalang Police Station except for Nattapong, Paiboon and Wisut who were taken to Tha Chatchai Police Staion and Kittipong to Cherng Talay to face their charges.

Later yesterday, under the command of Phuket Governor, 270 officers again swooped the streets to check on further suspicious activity in the area but no arrests were made.

Gov Chamroen Tipayapongtada said, “The anti-drug and -crime campaign we carried out today is part of the central government’s policy on drug use.

“The problem we are facing today is that those involved with drugs have not previously been arrested or were arrested but released on bail. This means they are still free to roam the streets and carry on as they did before.

“These people are not put in a system to help them stop using drugs and this just becomes an ongoing problem in society and we want it to stop,” he said.

PHUKET: A Phuket man who was recently released from prison after serving time for theft was arrested once again yesterday (Jan 15) for stealing valuables worth more than B23,500 from schools.

Prayuth Kreakaew, 39, was released from prison on Jan 4. Photo: Darawn Naknakhon

Lt Col Somsak Thongkleng of Phuket City Police arrested Prayuth Kreakaew, 39, on an arrest warrant issued yesterday for theft using a getaway vehicle after he stole valuables from the faculty room at Dowrung Wittaya School in Talad Neua on Jan 8.

Lt Col Somsak revealed that Prayuth was released from Phuket Prison on Jan 4 where he served time on theft charges.

“Prayuth told us that he could not find a job since being released from prison so he went around on a motorbike stealing other people’s property, mostly from schools. He said he did it nine times in areas of Talad Neua and Talad Yai.

1. On Jan 8 he stole more than B200 from the faculty room at Dowrung Wittaya School.

2. On Jan 9 he stole items worth over B5000 from the worker’s rest room at Royal City Hotel.

3. On Jan 10 he stole more than B8,0000 in cash and other valuables from patients at Vachira Hospital.

4. On an unknown date he stole more than B14,800 worth of items from the staff restroom at Bangkok Hospital, Baan Nabon School in Wichit, Darasamuth School, Kathu Wittaya School, Kathu Municipality School and Thairat Wittaya School

Prayuth told police that he sold some items and spent the money on daily living expenses. He was taken to Phuket City Police to face yet more theft charges.

PHUKET: A man from Nakorn Sri Thammarat was arrested at a room in Phuthara Mansion Apartments when he was found to be in possession of drugs, a gun and ammunition when police set him up in a sting operation on Thursday (Jan 14).

As part of their on-going anti-drug and -crime campaign, Phuket Narcotic Police led by Lt Col Prawit Engchuwn arrested 37-year-old Saishon Tangkleng who was found in possession of crystal meth (ya ice), methamphetamine pills (ya bah), a gun and ammunition in a room of the Phuthara Resort in Wichit.

“The arrest of Saishon came after narcotics police received a tip-off from undercover officers that a man was selling drugs to local teenagers in the Wichit area. They were told that the man always had drugs in his possession ready to sell,” Lt Col Prawit said at a press conference held yesterday (Jan 15).

“After receiving more details on the suspect, we had undercover officers contact him to buy drugs. He called back and told his potential client to pick up the drugs from a room at Phuthara Mansion Apartments.

“Saishon soon discovered that his clients were in fact police and handed over several small bags of ya ice weighing 15.31 grams and 322 meth pills. He also had 13.76 grams of ya ice hidden in his car. The other items were seized from his home in Wichit,” Col Prawit explained.

“Saishon admitted that he sold drugs from the rented room and that all the seized items belonged to him. He said he brought the drugs from his supplier known only as Tee,” he added.

Saishon was taken to Wichit Police Station to be charged with illegal possession of a Category 1 drug with intend to sell and illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition.

PHUKET: A taxi driver was charged with assault on Wednesday (Jan 13) for punching the Holiday Inn Patong’s Human Resource Director in the face on Tuesday (Jan 12) after he saw hotel staff call a tuk tuk to service hotel guests.

A two-minute and 40 second video clip of the angry taxi driver punching the hotel’s staff had gone viral after it was posted on a Thai-language Facebook (translated: Phuket Community page) by user Petch Dimond. The video was posted with the message: “Staff call tuk tuk to take tourists to the shopping mall for B200, Taxi driver upset and slap Holiday Inn staff… this is outrageous.”

The clip shows hotel staff leading a group of foreigners to a tuk tuk in front of the taxi driver. The driver then approaches a staff member and, after a few moments, begins to assault him.

Kathu Police Lt Col Suthichai Tienpo said the incident happened at 12:40 pm on January 12 in front of the Holiday Inn Hotel on Taweewong Rd in Patong. The victim,Tawatchai Khawnchum, 38, Human Resource Director at the hotel, filed a complaint after he was injured in the face.

Lt Col Suthichai said, “After the investigation we were able to identify the suspect as 50-year-old Chamni Khaidam,a taxi driver who is frequently stationed in front of the hotel. Chamni turned himself in to police the next day (Jan 13) to face assault charges.

“Mr Tawaichai said that the tourists wanted the tuk tuk so he called it for them which made Chamni angry and he punched him. Chamni said he was upset when he saw hotel staff chose to call a tuk tuk when a taxi was right there,” said Lt Col Suthichai.

PHUKET: Police yesterday (Jan 13) arrested two suspects in connection with two robberies of foreigners that took place on Thursday (Jan 7) and Friday (Jan 8) last week. They are currently looking for one more suspect alleged to also be involved.

Two suspects arrested in connection with robberies on Jan 7 and Jan 8. Photo provided by Thung Thong Police

Following up on two separates incidents in which a British woman was robbed last Thursday and a Russian man last Friday Jan 8, Thung Thong police yesterday arrested 23-year-old Thiradet “Oat” Chotika for his alleged involvement in the crimes.

Police discovered Thiradet’s alleged involvement in the robberies through CCTV footage of the incident last Thursday, prompting the issuance of an arrest warrant.

When making the arrest, Thiradet was found to be in possession of a Sony compact camera which police believe was robbed from the Russian man last Friday, said Supt Chuawalit.

After Thiradet’s arrest, police obtained information leading to the apprehension of Supachai “Toei” Chotpram, 20, whose owns the motorbike used in the robberies. During the arrest, they found in his possession a black iPhone 5 which matched the description of one of the items stolen in the first robbery on Jan 7, said Supt Chuawalit.

On January 7, British national and Lifestyle Editor at The Phuket News, 26-year-old Dalia Hilmi, was robbed of over B100,000 worth of valuable on Phra Phuket Keaw Rd in Kathu at about 5:40pm, including a Louis Vouitton handbag and iPhone 5.

The next day, a Russian man was robbed by knife point on Vichitsongrkram Rd in Kathu at about 7:20pm and robbed of B51,000 worth of valuables, including a Sony compact camera.

Supachai has been charged with Receiving Stolen Items From Robbery and Accessory To A Robbery, while Thiradet has been charged with Attempted Robbery.

Police are now looking for 23-year-old Chairprasit Boonyok, whose name was connected to the incidents following yesterday’s arrests.

PHUKET: Two teenagers were arrested yesterday (Jan 12) for assaulting and robbing a Finnish tourist after one of them slashed her arm with a knife during a snatch and grab theft in Karon.

Serm and Chai told police they have committed robberies in Chalong and Wichit many times before the arrest.

The theft happened last Saturday (Jan 9) as 31-year-old Ms Mari Inkeri Ruohonen was walking with her husband in front of Kataturk Restaurant in Soi Kloktanod in Karon.

Two teenagers approached them and attempted to snatch her bag. However, Ms Ruohonen fought back so one of the teens slashed her wrist with a knife leaving her with a 25cm slash wound.

The thieves then ran off with her bag which contained cash and other valuable items.

Following the report of the incident, Karon Deputy Superintendent Lt Col Pachai Mutayan and his team investigated and checked CCTV footage from the area, and yesterday arrested an 18-year-old named only as Serm and 19-year-old Chai at properties in Land and House in Chalong and Phuket Villa 5 in Wichit respectively.

Police seized from the two one knife, camouflage shirt, two helmets and a Honda Scoopy.

Karon Police Chief Col Sompong Boonrat explained that police managed to identify the two from CCTV footage and also managed to get the licence plate number of their get away vehicle.

“The licence plate on the getaway vehicle was fake, but when officers followed the teens movements it led them to Land and House. There officers spotted one teen driving a similar motorbike and when they searched it they found the victim’s purse in the basket,” he said.

“We questioned the driver, Serm, and he told us that he drove the motorbike that day and robbed the tourist with his friend Chai. It was Chai who got off the bike and assaulted the victim before snatchin the bag.

“We later arrested Chai at a house Phuket Villa 5 in Wichit,” he added.

Serm and Chai told police admitted to the theft and said they done it because they were high on kratom. They also told police that on Jan 9 they also attempted to rob a Chinese tourist in Soi Kedkwan in Karon. However, that theft failed so they drove around town looking for another victim which led them to Ms Ruohonen who was heading back to her hotel.

“We learned that both Serm and Chai have committed robberies in Chalong and Wichit many times before the arrest,” Col Sompong added.

Both were taken to Karon Police Station to face their charges.

These kids are the ones who make Phuket so dangerous to tourists as well as locals.

PHUKET: Police are trying to identify the body of a man found washed up near rocks at Ao Makham in Wichit this morning (Jan 12). The body was found to have a severe slash wound to the neck when it was recovered.

The body was found floating in the sea at Ao Makham. Photo: Darawan Naknakhon

Wichit police received a call from a local resident at 8:20am today stating that he had seen the body of a man floating in the sea behind Thailand Smelting and Refining Co Ltd (Thaisarco Ao Makham) in Moo 8 Wichit.

Wichit Police Investigator Lt Ekkarach Chartpai and his team arrived at the scene with Moo 8 village headman Sontaya Usaha and Kusolharm rescue workers who were able to recover the body.

Lt Ekkarach said “The body is that of a male aged between 30-40 years old with a height of between 165-170 cm. The man had a short military style hair cut and was wearing a grey short sleeved T-shirt and black shorts.

“We discovered a slash wound on his neck which is about seven centimetres long. We believe he has been dead for at least three days. We have transferred that body to Vachira Hospital for doctors to determine the cause of death.” he said.

Local resident, Sayan Thanakanjana, 43, who spotted the body while fishing in the area told police that he saw something floating in the sea and thought it was a bin liner.

“When it kept floating to the area where I fished I could see that it was a dead body so I called police,” Mr Sayan said.

Village headman Mr Sontaya added, “After looking at the body, I don’t think he is from this area. No one seems to know or recognise him.”

Lt Ekkarach concluded, “It is possible that the body is that of a member of a fishing crew who may possibly have been murdered and dumped in the sea, but whatever the case, we are investigating to find out who he is and what happened to him.”

PHUKET: 18 people were injured, including a number of Chinese tourists, when the bus they were travelling on crashed on Phetkasem Rd in Phang-nga last night (Jan 11). Police are still investigating to find the cause of the accident.

The bus was taking Chinese tourists to Krabi airport when it crashed and flipped on Phetkasem Rd in Phang-nga.

Takua Thung police, Phang-nga Governor Phagpong Tawiphat and more than seven units of local rescue workers were called to the scene of the crash at the Pakchang bend on the southbound side of Phetkasem Rd (Phang Nga-Phuket route) in Krasom sub-district where a double-decker bus carrying Chinese tourists had crashed and and flipped on its side.

It was reported that 18 people had been injured in the crash.

The bus driver, 34-year-old Suriyon Tanjaroenrat from Phuket and a Thai guide named as Ms Kanjana Leelawatkarn, 48, were immediately taken to Phang-nga Hospital due to injuries sustained in the crash, while rescue workers helped recover other injured passengers from the crashed vehicle before taking them to hospital.

One Chinese passenger, Mr Zhang Shuai, 24, who had suffered head injuries was later transferred to Vachira Hospital.

Pol Lt Sornsak Chandee said, “The bus left Phuket and was heading to Krabi Airport to drop off the tourists. There were 18 people on board –16 Chinese tourists, one Thai tour guide and the Thai driver.

“This bend is prone to accidents as it is very sharp. Many vehicles lose control and have accidents here,” he said.

Gov Phagpong added, “Medical staff from Phang-nga Hospital have confirmed that all passengers are recovering from their injuries in hospital. Officials are contacting the Chinese embassy and tourist rescue centre right now,” he said.

“Police are investigating to find what caused the bus to crash and will start questioning the passengers and driver as soon as possible,” he added.

PHUKET: A 26-year-old British woman had over B100,000 worth of valuables stolen and suffered serious abrasions to her arms and legs when she was the victim of a snatch and grab theft on Phra Phuket Keaw Rd in kathu at 5:40pm last Thursday (Jan 7). Police are continuing to hunt for two suspects involved in the incident.

Dalia Hilmi suffered serious abrasions to her arms and legs when she was the victim of a snatch and grab theft.

The woman, Dalia Hilmi, the Lifestyle Editor at The Phuket News, was riding home from Chalong Pier after a trip to Koh Phi Phi Don when two men on a motorbike viciously grabbed a bag she was carrying.

The force of the grab caused Miss Hilmi to fall from the bike and left her with serious abrasions to both her arms and legs and also a burn to her neck caused by the strap of the bag.

Items stolen from Miss Hilmi included an iPhone 5, B1,500 in cash and an original Louis Vuitton bag valued at around B108,000. The total value of the stolen items is said to be B132,100.

Chief Investigator from Thung Thong Police Station Lt Col Chalermchai Henprawat said, “The incident happened on January 7 at about 5:40pm opposite the Shell station on Phra Phuket Keaw Rd in Kathu.

“We are currently following up on the incident and looking for the suspects who are seen on CCTV stealing the bag,” he said.

PHUKET: A man and woman from Nakhorn Sri Thammarat were arrested by Region 8 police in Phang-nga on Friday (Jan 8) when they were found to be in possession of 70,000 methamphetamine pills (ya bah) worth more than seven million baht.

Ms Jiraporn Phromnoo, 42, and Somnieg Rammanee had in total 70,000 ya bah pills worth over 7 million baht. – See more at: http://www.thephuketnews.com/ya-bah-worth-over-b7mn-seized-off-phuket-55741.php#sthash.MJHbKE3P.dpuf

The arrest of the two was announced at a press conference held jointly by Region 8 Police’s Lt General Tesa Siriwato and Deputy Superintendent of Phuket City Police Lt Col Prawit Engchuwn today (Jan 11) at the Region 8 Police Headquarters in Mai Khao.

At the press conference, police presented Ms Jiraporn Phromnoo, 42, and Somnieg Rammanee together with their stash of 70,000 pills and other seized items including two mobile phones and Isuzu pick up truck with a Phattalung licence plate.

Jiraporn and Somnieg were initially charged with illegal possession of a category 1 drug with intent to sell and attempting to sell a category 1 drug (10,000 meth pills).

However, Jiraporn was later charged again with with illegal possession of a Category 1 drug with intent to sell after police discovered a further 60,000 pills at a rambutan fruit orchard in the Chauat district of Nakorn Sri Thammarat.

The arrest of Jiraporn and Somnieg came after Phuket drug and crime suppression police arrested Patchanee Pantip with 10 ya bah pills in Srisoonthon on January 7.

Patchanee was charged with Category 1 drug in possession, but to lessen her penalty, she told police that there would be a drug delivery made in Phang-nga on January 8 and provided officers with the time and location.

On January 8, Phang-nga and Phuket drug and crime suppression police nabbed Jiraporn and Somnieg with 10,000 meth pills at the Rachaphurg PTT gasoline station in Phang-nga.

The next day, police seized a further 60,000 pills in Chauat. They also searched a house in Phattalung where they seized bank account books and other documents related to drug transactions.

Lt Col Prawit said officers followed the drug trail through four provinces to make the arrests and that the total value of the drugs seized amounted to over 7 million baht.

“Jiraporn and Somnieg said they have been selling ya bah in addition to farming mushrooms in Nakorn Sri Thammarat. They got paid B20,000 to transport the drugs from Krabi to Phuket,” he added.

Pol Lt General Tesa said that following the arrests of Jiraporn and Somnieg they have issue two more warrants drug suspects in the network.

“We know that drug smuggling and transporting are most common in Chumpon and Nakorn Sri Thamarat and we will have more officers sent to these areas,” he said.

The suspect, Mr Thananun Chonlayut of Thonburi’s Bangkok Yai district was due to catch an afternoon flight back to his home in the Thai capital but was instead arrested after he made a sarcastic remark that there was a bomb in his shoes, apparently not satisfied that airport security asked him to remove his shoes during a routine inspection. Ms Sunisa Phromsupha told Thachadchai Police that when she asked the suspect to remove his shoes at a security checkpoint inside the domestic terminal, he remarked that there was a bomb in his shoes and he planned to detonate it the airport. Though the suspect later claimed that he was only being sarcastic, security took him seriously, opting to conduct a thourough inspection of the suspect’s shoes, while the suspect was detained and escorted to Thachadchai Police Station nearby. Although the inspection did not uncover any bomb, suspect was charged with knowingly announcing false information or news for the purpose of creating hysteria, a violation under section 22 of the 2015 law forbidding the hindrance of air travel in the kingdom, confirmed Pol Maj Witaya Kongsomboon of Thachadchai Police.

PHUKET: Nine small-time drug users are in jail while Phuket police over the past several days have logged seizing a total of three kilogrammes of kratom, a little over 32 grammes of crystal meth, 43 meth pills, a home made gun and bullet.

On January 6, at 2pm, Muang police arrested Mr Somchai Kongli, 41 with 2.6 kilogrammes of Kratom, and charged with possession of a Category 5 addictive drug (kratom) without permit

At the same time, Muang police arrested 34-year-old Mr Vijit Naka with 350 grammes of the plant and was also charged with possession, while B600 in cash was seized as evidence.

At 11pm on January 6, Muang police arrested Ms Lumruai Laengsanam, 41, with 0.62 g of crystal meth, and charged her with possession of a Category 1 addictive drug (Ya Ice) without permit.

At 11:15pm the same night, Muang Police arrested Mr Sutthichai Puangmatet, 32, who was caught with 7.56 g of crystal meth and 43 meth pills (ya ba), as well as a home-made firearm and one 12-guage live round. Mr Suttichai was subsequently charged with possession Category 1 drugs (Ya Ice and Ya Ba), and possession of a firearm and ammunition – all without permits.
On January 7 at 2:15pm, police arrested Mr Nattaporn Keuakul, 31, and Ms Amarat Wuttikorn, 28, who were in possession of 21.83 g of crystal meth. Chalong Police charged them both with possession of a Category 1 drug without permit.

PHUKET: Three men wanted in connection with a gang attack on two men on Tuesday morning (Jan 5) have been arrested and their cases passed to Phuket Provincial Court.

A screen grab from CCTV footage of the attack.

Meanwhile, the owner of the restaurant where the incident took place has also been arrested as he was operating without the relevant licences.

The bashing, which was caught on CCTV, occurred as the two men exited a restaurant near the Naka night market in Wichit.

One of the attacked men filed a complaint at Wichit Police Station and told officers that the four men accused him and his friend of of kicking one of their motorbikes. (See story here)

Col Kitipong Klaikaew, chief of the Wichit Police, told The Phuket News today (Jan 8), “Three staff from the restaurant have been arrested together with the restaurant owner.

“The three have been charged with Offence Causing Bodily Injury, while the restaurant owner has been charged with Operating Without the Correct Licences,” he said.

“After questioning the suspects, they have admitted to their crimes and therefore there cases were all sent to court yesterday (Jan 7).

Phuket District Chief Supoj Chanakit said, “Officials from my office are going to check the restaurant. I have not yet made a decision on whether to close the restaurant of not as I have not received a report. However, I believe I will receive it soon.”

After receiving a number of complaints about break in and thefts in and around Phuket Town police investigated, and after speaking to witnesses and checking CCTV footage they found the same man was carrying out the crimes.

“When our investigation team looked into this case we learned that the man carrying out the crimes was similar to a man arrested in May 2011,” Deputy Chief of Phuket City Police Col Peerayuth Karajedi said.

Chatchai ‘Beer’ Klanphakdee, 26, from Thayang in Petchaburi, who had indeed been arrested in 2011, was tracked down to a house in Cherng Thalay and found to be in possession of a number of stolen items.

“At first, we only found one notebook and a motorbike, but after questioning Chatchai he told us that he had stolen eight times in the past month,” Col Peerayuth explained.

“After that, we found eight more notebooks, two motorbikes, a guitar and tools used for the thefts in his possession,” he added.

Chatchai was taken to Phuket City Police Staion where he was charged with unlawful taking of property that does not being belong him the charge of which carries a punishment of imprisonment of three years and a fine of B6,000.

PHUKET: Police are looking for four suspects wanted for the gang bashing of two men – one of them a Thai tour guide working for a Chinese tour company in Phuket – as they exited a restaurant near the Naka night market in Wichit early yesterday morning (Jan 5)

“We were informed of the video this morning and we have already assembled a team to track down the suspects,” Col Kitipong Klaikaew, chief of the Wichit Police, told The Phuket News this morning.

“One of the men injured in the attack filed a complaint at Wichit Police Station yesterday,” he said.

Col Kitipong also confirmed that one of the men attacked was a Thai tour guide working for a Chinese tour company, though he declined to name either of the two men attacked.

“The two men were assaulted as they left a restaurant in front of the Naka night market on Wirat Hongyok Rd at about 2am. We believe all the people involved had been drinking alcohol,” Col Kitipong asserted.

“We have yet to confirm the reason for the attack. The man who filed the complaint said that the four men accused him and his friend of of kicking one of their motorbikes.

“Regardless, we believe we will be able to track down and have the suspects in custody within a couple of days,” he added.

PHUKET: Police have arrested a 30-year-old Trang man in connection with the alleged attempted rape of an eight-year-old Russian tourist at a hotel in Karon on Saturday (Jan 2).

Man arrested in Phuket in connection with attempted rape of Russian girl, 8

Pol Lt Nipon Temsang received a phone call from a member of staff of a hotel in Karon on Saturday stating that a Russian guest had told them that a Thai man had attempted to rape his eight-year-old daughter after approaching her while she played on a computer on the ground floor of the hotel.

The Russian father said that while his daughter was using the computer a man came to talk to her and lured her to another room and attempted to rape her.

According to the father, other guests at the hotel heard screams coming from the room so they broke in and saw a man escaping through a window. CCTV footage from the hotel shows a man coming to talk to the girl.

The man, Wutthichai Srithai, 30, was previously employed by the hotel as a mechanic but has since left. However, his wife is still employed there.

Police spoke to Wutthichai’s wife who told them that he was at their home in Moo 5, Srisoonthorn, Thalang, at the time of the attack.

When questioned by police, Wutthichai denied the allegations made against him and told police that he had only gone to the hotel to pick up his wife. He said that he had seen the girl playing on a computer but did not talk to her.

However, Chief of Karon Police Col Sompong Boonrat told The Phuket News today (Jan 4) that after being shown the CCTV footage of him talking to the girl he admitted that he had taken the girl to another room and attempted to rape her.

“We sent him to court today. However, we cannot provide any more information. This is a very sensitive case and we do not want to do anything that can affect it,” Col Sompong said.

“However, we can confirm that the girl is safe and has attended a hospital to be checked,” he added.

Wutthichai has initially been charged with attempted rape of a minor under 13 years old and committing an indecent act with a minor.

The attempted rape charge comes with a punishment of imprisonment of between seven to 20 years and a fine of between B14,000 – B40,000, while the indecent act charge comes with a punishment of a prison sentence of not more than 15 years and/or a fine not exceeding B30,000.

Somebody should cut his balls off and let him lay there until he bleeds to death.

PHUKET: A Patong tuk-tuk driver has been arrested for methamphetamine use after he tested positive to an on-the-spot urine test at a road safety checkpoint early this morning (Jan 2).

A total of 25 drivers were tested for alcohol. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub

Vasan Panyadee, 45, from Phattalung was taken into custody shortly after 1am at a checkpoint at the south end of Patong manned by seven Provincial Civil Defense officers, nine Patong Police and two medical staffers from Patong Hospital.

More than 35 commercial drivers were tested for drug use, including 16 van drivers, two truck drivers, 15 tuk-tuk drivers and several taxi drivers, of which Vasan was the only one to test positive.

A total of 25 other drivers were tested for alcohol, with only one person arrested for drunk driving, but 35 people fined for not wearing a helmet while riding a motorbike.

The checkpoint saw Phuket arrive into Day 5 of the this year’s New Year Seven Days of Danger national road-safety campaign with four dead and 49 injured in 48 road accidents during the period.

PHUKET: Chalong Police are celebrating the new year after seizing more than 50 kilograms of the kratom plant from suspected dealers in Rawai, while officers in Vichit and Phuket Town have weized more than 5 grams of crystal meth (Ya Ice) and 11 kilos of marijuana in a pre New Year’s Eve holiday drug blitz.

Three men, an adult and a young-adult, were arrested on on Tuesday (December 29) on Rawai’s Soi Sermsuk lane with possession of more than 50 kilos of the kratom plant.

Mr Somchai “Chai” Samutsaran, 36, was arrested at noon with 14 bags of kratom, weighing a total of 17.5 kilos.

A 17-year-old, whose name is being withheld as he is a minor, was pinned with seven bags of kratom containing a total of 35 kilos of the plant.

Mr Jiradet Homhuan, 30, was pinned with a kilo of the plant.

All men were charged with possession of a Category 5 addictive drug (kratom) with intent to sell without a permit.

In a raid on a room on Soi Tanit in Vichit, Mr Nattawut Wongkat, 24, was arrested after found in possession of two small bags of crystal meth, weighing a total of 2.25 grams

In a raid on a room yesterday (December 30) on Padipat Road in Talad Yai, Mr Nattawut Sae-ieo, 28, was arrested in possession of two small bags of crystal meth, weighing a total of 3.34 grams

Both young men were charged with possession of a Category 1 addictive drug (Ya Ice).

Last night, Muang Police also netted 11 kilos of marijuana during a raid of an accused 22-year-old pot dealer’s residence on Soi Payoon.

Mr Subin-Nimit “Golf” Rakwet, 22, was nabbed at about 7:30pm last night in front of the Kasikorn Bank ATM near Bangkok Hospital Phuket in a sting operation.

Police reported that earlier in the day an unnamed informant contacted the suspect, a suspected major pot dealer, to buy 1 kilogramme of brick weed – improperly dried, cured and compacted marijuana – at a rate of B16,500.

According to the police report, the informant used a mobile phone and Facebook to communicate with Golf, who instructed the imformant to meet him at the above location to pick up the kilo.

Upon positively identifying the suspect, a force of officers emerged and confronted the suspect, who promptly proclaimed his innocence. However, police were unconvinced and verified that the suspect’s phone log verified communication with their informant.

A subsequent search uncovered a brick of marijuana hidden in a gas can filled with tea.

Police reported that the suspect then volunteered a confession that he had more pot stashed at his residence in Soi Payoon nearby.

The suspect then led police to said room, where they found 10 more bricks of marijuana inside a cabinet. The stash was reported to weigh 9.6 kilogrammes.

In addition they found several more small splastic bags containing varying amounts of the dried plant flowers.

A digital scale, knife thought to be used to cut the bricked weed, a glass bong and 160 resealable plastic bags were also seized as evidence, as were two codeine pills, a homemade handgun, one .22 calibre bullet, an IPhone 5 and Kawasaki Ninja motorbike.

Golf was subsequently charged with “possession of a Category 5 (Ganja) addictive drug with intent to sell without a permit; posession of a Category 2 (Codeine) drug without a permit; and possession of a firearm and ammo without a permit”.

In addition to jail time, the suspect will also likely be forced to undergo drug rehabilitation under the current Thai drug supression policies.

Despite the status quo of Thailand’s outdated, US DEA-backed drug policies, there are no independent, peer-reviewed scientific studies that conclusively prove any of the three species of ganja or cannabis are physicially or chemically addictive, or independently harmful for human consumption.

However, the strong psychoactive compounds of the herb, especially of the tropical sativa varieties, when ingested through smoke or digestion, may overwhelm and trigger undesirable reactions and moods in individuals who are mentally unstable, weak or vulnerable.

Moreover, ganja for recreational or health purposes is still strictly forbidden in the kingdom by law, and those caught in possession of it face jail, fines, mandatory rehab and/or deportation if they are a foreign national.

PHUKET: Security personnel at Phuket International Airport arrested a Danish man with 1.6 kilogrammes of heroin wrapped around his waist as he attempted to board a direct flight to Copenhagan to early this morning (Dec 23).

Danish national Peter Efferso, 46, was taken into custody after security staff found 1.6 kilogrammes of heroin wrapped around his waist during a routine pre-flight security check at Phuket Airport. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub

Danish national Peter Efferso, 46, was taken into custody after security staff found four bundles of heroin wrapped around his waist during a routine pre-flight security check at 6:30am.

He was later handed over to Customs officers then to the Tha Chatchai Police.

Mr Efferso was presented to the press at the airport this morning.

“Mr Efferso admitted that he wrapped the heroin around his waist with supporting belt in order to take it to his home country,” Tha Chatchai police special investigator Pol Lt Col Watcharin Jiratthikanwiwat said.

After the press conference, Mr Efferso was taken to Tha Chatchai police to be charged.

Although Thailand carries the death penalty for drug suspects found guilty of of involvement in such a large volume of narcotics, such sentences are often commuted to long jail terms in cases where the suspect confesses to the charge.

PHUKET: Police are waiting for doctors to determine the cause of death of an unidentified woman whose body was found floating in a canal on the east side of Phuket Town yesterday morning (Dec 21).

POlice have yet to identify the woman and determine her cause of death. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub

The body was taken to Vachira Phuket Hospital soon after rescue workers retrieved it from the canal at the Saphan Ruam 1 Community on Sri Sena Rd, Rassada, at 8:20am.

“We believe the body is of a woman who was 30 to 40 years old,” said Lt Col Chana Suthimas of the Phuket City Police.

“She was 165-170cm tall and weighed 70 to 80 kilogrammes, and dressed in a red shirt and denim shorts. We believe she died at least three days before her body was found by local residents.”

Initial examination of the body by police failed to indicate the cause of death.

“We found only a minor injury on the top of her head. No other signs of injury or assault were found on the body,” Col Chana said.

“Residents in the area said they believe she was not from the area because they did not recognize her and said that they had never seen her before,” he added.

Police theorized that the victim was running away from someone or something and used the canal to hide.

“Somehow she fell into the canal. She had injured her head, possibly drunk, and maybe drowned,” Col Chana said.

“We don’t know what happened to her because so far we have found no witnesses to any incident that may be related,” he added.

“But we are continuing our investigation to determine whether the head injury was accidental or likely from an assault. We are also trying to identify the body so we can notify her family,” Col Chana said.

“We know so far that we have no missing person report that matches the description of the victim,” he added.

PHUKET: Police yesterday (December 19) arrested a Phang Nga man at a Kathu condominium in possession of an 11 millimeter firearm, holster, magazine with five live 11mm rounds, meth pills and a smoking device thought to be used with crystal meth.

Under the command of of Pol Maj Littichai Chumchai of Phuket Provincial Police, officers nabbed the suspect, named as Mr Palawat “Gif” Sittisak, 27, of Phang Nga at around 4pm at The Scene condominium in Kathu’s Moo 1.

According to the police report filed last night, officers learned of the suspect from another drug suspect, 26-year-old Mr Arunpong “Duke” Kieawman, who’d been arrested on Friday in Wichit and charged with unlawful possession of an undisclosed amount of crystal meth (Ya Ice) and a firearm.

During an interrogation, Duke had told police that Gif was a regular consumer and dealer of meth in his drug network, and then agreed to to lead police to the suspect’s residence in Kathu, where he was certain there would be more drugs.

Driving his own car, Duke then led officers to the Kathu condominium and after positively identified the suspect outside, police proceeded to confront Gif, who initially pleaded innocence to allegations of drug dealing, the report read.

But after showing their credentials, police reported that the suspect finally confessed to only being a small time user and then proceeded to lead police to his room where they found the five ya ba pills in a resealable plastic bag, along with the firearm, holster, magazine, live rounds and drug paraphernalia.

Gif has been charged with possession of a Category 1 drug (Ya Ba), drug paraphernalia, a firearm and accessories without permits.

PHUKET: Police are questioning three teenagers over the death of a man whose body was found by the side of the road near the base of the Kathu side of Patong Hill late last night (Dec 15). The man, identified as Somparn Potakom, 25, from Nakhon Sawan, had been stabbed once in the chest.

The body of Somparn Potakom, 25, was found by the side of the main road over Patong Hill. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub

Police were called to the scene, near the entrance of Soi Boon-erb, at 11:30pm.

“The man had one stab wound to the right side of his chest. There were no others signs of assault or injury,” said Lt Swanya Eidthrong of the Thung Thong Police.

Regardless, police had Mr Somparn’s body taken to Patong Hospital for doctors to confirm the cause of death, he added.

Witnesses told police that they saw a group of teenagers earlier last night hanging out in front of a rented room 50 metres away from where Mr Somparn’s body was found.

They heard a quarrel break out within the group and one man seemingly injured ran away and collapsed beside the main road, said Thung Thong Police investigator Maj Kongkrit Thongnun.

Lt Swanya added, “At this stage, we presume that the victim had an altercation with the group of teenagers and was stabbed and ran away from the group.

“We have taken three teenagers in for questioning. Hopefully, we will learn what really happened and help us determine which person stabbed Mr Somparn.”

The body of Somparn Potakom, 25, was found by the side of the main road over Patong Hill. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub

PHUKET: Police have tracked down and arrested a 22-year-old man for breaking into a Kazakh family’s home in Rawai and stealing a safe containing more than B2.4 million baht in cash and valuables.

Maitri Seibwiset, 22, recovers the family safe from where he dumped it near a canal in Chalong.

Anastassiya Zakhapenkova, 31, reported the break-and enter theft – in which B2,436,000 in cash and valuables, including the family’s passports, were stolen– to Chalong Police on November 26.

After checking CCTV in the area, Chalong Police working with Phuket City Police officers led by Lt Col Thamasan Boonsong, tracked down and arrested Maitri Seibwiset, 22, in Baan Koktanod, Chalong on Friday (Dec 11).

Police said that before moving in and making the arrest, they had noticed that Maitri had recently exchanged a lot of foreign currency.

At Maitri’s home police seized: $12,000 in US banknotes; 89,000 Kazakhstani tenge in cash; three designer watches; one silver necklace; two gold necklaces, two bracelets (silver and gold); three gold rings; two silver rings; two pair of earrings; three credit cards; one handbag and the five Zakhapenkova family passports.

Maitri also took police to a nearby canal, where they recovered the safe stolen from the Zakhapenkova home.

Ms Zakhapenkova and her husband later identified all the items reported as stolen from their home on November 26.

However, police also seized at Maitri’s home five gold earrings and two gold lockets later identified as stolen from another victim, Miss Chantana Sooksuwan, whose home in Baan Borrae, Wichit, had also been robbed.

In making the arrest, police also seized Maitri’s Yamaha Fino motorbike, eight Fino frames, one pair of pliers, a helmet, five knives and three lighters.

Maitri admitted to robbing the two homes, and said that he had spent some of the money on drugs that he bought from contacts in Kathu and Rawai, police reported.

Maitri was ordered to undergo blood tests for drugs, which tested negative, and was so taken to Chalong Police Station where he was only charged with theft using getaway vehicle.

However, police confirmed that they had made two subsequent arrests in relation to the case in which two suspects – Wirachote Naophrai and Chageereen Thorthip – were charged with drugs possession with intent to sell.

PHUKET: Tourist Police, in collaboration with Phuket Police and Interpol Thailand, this morning announced the arrest of two Russian fugitives wanted by Russian Police and Interpol Red Notice.

Alexander (black hat) and Roman at the press conference.

Roman Ledenev, 33, and Alexander Bukharov, 42 , were apprehended at an undisclosed location on December 11, a press conference was told this morning at the Phuket Tourist Police’s fifth precinct headquarters.

Presiding over the press conference was a lineup of high-ranking police officers, including the assistant to the Royal Thai Police National Commander, Pol Lt Gen Suchat Tirasawat, acting as head of the investigation team in collaboration with Phuket Police Commander, Pol Maj Gen Tiraphon Thipcharoen; Interpol Thailand chief, Pol Maj Gen Apichat Suribunya and the commander of the Tourist Police, Pol Maj Gen Surachet Hakpaan.

The press conference was told that the two Russian suspects were wanted in Russia and internationally for cross-national drug and human trafficking violations, and were thought to have been residing in Phuket and Krabi for the better part of the past two years.

Police did not elaborate further about the suspects or their alleged crimes, but only confirmed that the two suspects are undergoing immigration processing in collaboration with Interpol and the Russian Police.

PHUKET: A 32-year-old British woman has died from neck and head injuries sustained in a traffic accident that took place this morning on the notorious Patong Hill.

At 11.30am Kathu police were alerted by Kusoldham Patong rescue workers that a foreign woman with a broken neck had been transported to Patong Hospital.

The accident, which involved a pickup truck ramming into a motorbike, occurred along Phra Baramee Rd, near the entrance to Soi Kuan Yang on the descent into Patong city.

When officers arrived to the scene they found a black Toyota Vigos pickup truck with Phuket plates parked on the side of the road, with slight damage to its bumper.

On the ground next to the pickup was a smashed red and white Honda Wave motorbike with Nakhon Pathom plates.

A witness told police that there were two women on the motorbike, who’d just left a nearby Family Mart on the opposite side of the road, and had attempted to make a U-turn, to head back in the direction of Patong when they were finally rammed by the pickup truck from behind.

The force of the collision reportedly caused the motorbike to lose control and the pillion passenger to come flying off and smash her head on the pavement.

A crash helmet was photographed next to the lifeless body of the victim while awaiting an ambulance.

The victim was pronounced dead shortly after arriving to Patong Hospital.

Police have yet to disclose the identities of the drivers of the pickup truck and motorbike, and have yet to appoint blaim.

UPDATE: Police have named the deceased as a 32-year-old English woman; the driver of the motorbike named as a 55-year-old Englishg woman and the driver of the pickup truck a 22-year-old man.

The Phuket News is withholding the name of the victim until it can be confirmed that her family have been notified.

PHUKET: Police are looking for a Patong Beach jet-ski operator who allegedly pulled out a gun and threatened at least one other rival jet-ski operator during a heated argument on the beach yesterday (Dec 10).

Jet-skis are towed along Patong Beach in the morning.

Lt Col Suthichai Tienpo arrived with his team of officers near Loma Park at 11:30am after receiving a call from a local vendor.

Two groups of jet-ski operators had an altercation on the beach and one man pulled a gun out and threatened his rivals, the vendor reported, said Col Suthichai.

“The man’s name is Banyong Thongket. He owns some jet-skis and trailers,” Col Suthichai said. “He had fled the scene by the time we got there, but he left his jeep, an Isuzu, behind.”

Apparently Banyong left his “wife” behind at the scene, too.

“We questioned her and she accompanied us back to their house, but he was not home,” Col Suthichai said.

“So we asked her to come back to Loma Park, where officers had found a replica .357 handgun and rubber bullets inside the vehicle,” he added.

Banyong faces charges of public endangerment, Col Suthichai said.

“The other persons involved in the incident have declined to file a complaint against him, but his behaviour was dangerous in a public place. He will be charged for threatening in order to intimidate another person,” he said.

“We are still looking for the suspect, but we will find him and bring him in for questioning about this.”

Col ML Pattanajak explained that the two were arrested during an anti-drug and -crime campaign held between December 4-10.

Police received a tip-off from locals that the couple were working as local market vendors, but were known to smuggle kratom onto the island in their Toyota pick-up truck.

They rented a room in Baan Hao Kwan in Kamala and used it to store the kratom before dividing it into small bundle to sell to locals.

“We appointed undercover officers to monitor the couple. They followed them to their rented room and told Janjam they wanted to search his truck. In doing so they found a bundle of kratom hidden behind the driver seat,” Col ML Pattanajak said.

“When the officers opened the door to the rented room they discovered 740 bundles of kratom on the floor. Uraiwan was in the room at the time,” he added.

Col ML Pattanajak also said that Janjam and Uraiwan confessed to buying the kratom from a man known as Bao.

“Bao dropped the kratom off at Heroines Monument at 1am on Dec 8. We placed the kratom in four sacks and transported them to our room,” Janjam told police.

Col ML Pattanajak added, “Janjam said he paid B850 per kilo and sold the leaves to teenagers and migrants workers for B1,200 per kilo. They would sell out in ten days.

“They admitted that they did not make any money as market vendors because business not good so they turned to kratom dealing instead.”

Janjam and Uraiwan were charged with possession of a Category 5 drug with intent to sell.

PHUKET: Phuket police are currently hunting for Bangkok man who is suspected of being part of a gang of credit card thieves and managed to evade arrest when one of his accomplices was apprehended during a shopping spree in Chalong on Sunday (Nov 29).

59-year-old Pithawat Akaratithiweerakul was arrested at the Tha Chatchai police checkpoint after fleeing from police at Tesco Lotus Chalong.

Police have so far seized around one million baht worth of items believed top have been bought with the cards.

The arrested man, 59-year-old Pithawat Akaratithiweerakul (aka Kawang Faipetch or Anuchit Faipetch) from Pisanulok, was presented to media at a press conference held by Deputy Superintendent Col Pinit Sirichai at Phuket City Police press today (Dec 1) at 10am.

Pithawat were arrested at the Tha Chatchai police checkpoint while he was attempting to leave the island with valuable items he bought with stolen credit cards.

Police seized from Pithawat five stolen credit cards along with array of items bought using the stolen credit cards which are as follow :

300 packs of Cigarettes worth B180,000

3 Samsung mobile phones valued at B47,000

1 Gucci watch (B30,000)

Cameras (B30,000)

Pithawat confessed that some items bought with the stolen credit cards had already sold in Bangkok include two Apple iPhone 6S, ten Apple iPhone 6S Plus and two Apple iPad minis.

He and his accomplice, 41-year-old Nakrop Darunpan from Bangkok, are alleged to have been stealing credit cards from foreigners and buying expensive items with them.

Police estimate that they may have bought items totalling at least one million baht.

Both suspects were seen at Tesco Lotus in Chalong by undercover police who had been assigned to follow them when they were suspected of being involved in suspicious activities at a Tesco Lotus in Kokkloym, Phang Nga.

Col Pinit revealed at the press conference, “We were alerted by Siam Commercial Bank that they suspected someone was using stolen foreign credit cards to pay for items at several stores on the island including Central Festival, Homepro in Chalong and Tesco Lotus Thalang.

“After investigating we managed to get a description of the suspects and followed them.

“We learned that they always started their shopping spree at 2pm so we waited for them to visit the stores on Sunday,” he said.

“At noon on Sunday, an undercover officer spotted Pithawat using a stolen card at Tesco Lotus Chalong. However, he was convinced another suspect was waiting in the car so officers waited for Pithawat to leave before approaching him.”

“Pithawat got into a truck with another suspect, but they sped off when officers approached them,” he said.

Officers pursued them and shot one of the trucks tyres hoping it would stop the men from fleeing, but they abandoned the truck in Soi Palai and drove off in a Mazda 2 heading north on Thepkassattri Rd.

Officers at Tha Chatchai check point were alerted and ordered to be on the lookout for the getaway vehicle.

Then at 2:30pm Pithawat was arrested at the checkpoint in another truck along with items he bought with the stolen cards, but his accomplice Nakrob was no where to be found.

Pithawat told police that they worked as a team. One member would steal the credit cards and send them to another team via a cargo company based at Phuket International Airport.

“We would use the stolen cards to buy goods. We would only buy expensive items which were passed to other members of our team to sell.

“All the profits we made would be divided among the team, but the person who stole credit cards would get B10,000 per card if it was a good card, ” Pithawat said.

Pithawat confessed to police that his accomplice was Nakrob and that he had worked with him many times in Phuket and helped him get way from police at Tesco Lotus Chalong.

Pithawat was charged with theft and taken to Chalong Police Station to be charged.

“We will continue to look for Nakrob and others who may be involved in this crime and bring them in to justice,” said Col Pinit.

PHUKET: A staffer at Phuket International Airport has been arrested for stealing duty-free items with an estimated value of about B100,000 that were to be loaded onto an aircraft and sold mid-flight en route to Helsinki.

Sithichai Srirat (wearing yellow safety vest), 28, was arrested after the B100,000 of luxury goods were found to be missing from an aircraft bound for Helsinki. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub

Sithichai Srirat, 28, from Phang Nga province, was taken into custody at the airport yesterday (Nov 30) after Tha Chatchai Police were called in to investigate the disappearance of the missing haul of duty-free items.

According to the police report, airport security officer Somnuek Satthabot received a tip-off that some goods had disappeared from the stock of items to be sold on the Helsinki-bound aircraft.

Security officers managed to track down that the items disappeared somewhere between being allocated to be loaded onto the aircraft and the aircraft itself – which only left the “delivery area”.

The police were called in and the haul of high-end lifestyle products were soon found in a box covered with a towel hidden in the driver’s cab of a high-loader truck in the delivery area.

The haul of recovered items comprised: three Lifetron USB recharge battery packs; two Swarovski watches; three Earnshaw 1805 watches; a Swarovski necklace and a Swarovski pen; and three Versace, three Legend Montblanc and two Hugo Boss bottles of cologne.

Sithichai confessed to stealing the items, said the police report.

Sithichai was fired on the spot and police preparing to file formal charges against him for theft, the report noted.

The arrest of Sithichai follows that of 27-year-old Danai Buthjaw who allegedly stole a pair of pink of Adidas trainers from a bag belonging to a passenger who had arrived in Phuket on a flight from Don Mueang International Airport in Bangkok on November 25.

A team of officers led by Lt Col Prawit Eagchuwn arrested 26-year-old Paitoon “Ton” Asiramethi on Saturday (Nov 28) when he was initially found to be in possession of 9.71g of the drug.

The arrest of Paitoon came after police received a tip-off that he was selling ya ice to teenagers in and around Phuket Town.

On Saturday, police were assigned to follow Paitoon, and when he stopped his motorbike outside a convenience store in Wichit they approached him and carried out a search. Police found 9.71g of ya ice in his trousers.

Police then went to Paitoon’s home and conducted a search there which led to the discovery of a further two packages of ya ice containing 245g and 295g.

Paitoon admitted that he received the ya ice via a contact in Phuket Provincial Prison and that he had been dealing for about 2 months.

However, Paitoon told police that the ya ice was not good quality and had been returned to him and he was waiting to speak to his dealer so he could return it all to him.

Paitoon has been charged with possession of a category one drug with intent to sell.

PHUKET: Thalang Police have filed yet another report of a scooter-powered snatch thief that made away with valuables.

At 5am today (November 29) Pol Lt Col Sanich Nukong of Thalang Police filed a complaint about a bag-snatching incident on Thepkrasattri Rd, about 200 meters from Makro Thalang. Mr Somkiet Thongsuk, 23, reported that he was driving his sky blue and white Honda Scooby scooter (with Phang Nga plates), with two girls – Ms Mawadee Yo-na and Ms Araya Pana – riding pillion. Mr Somkiet and Ms Mawadee told police they had just visited a relative at Vachira Phuket Hospital and were on their way home, when a man on a purple Yamaha Fino scooter drove up from behind, and snatched a brown bag carried by Ms Mawadee. The straps snapped as the thief made off with the bag containing B3,000 in cash and Samsung J-one smartphone valued at B3,390, in addition to important identity documents Pol Lt Col Sanich said the incident was the fourth of its kind reported to his office in the past week, but did not elaborate further. Yesterday, a Russian woman cycling in Thalang was reportedly robbed by a snatch thief who got away with a B26,000 iPhone and B400 in cash. (Story here) Nonetheless, Lt Col Sanich assured the victims that police are studying CCTV footage along the suspected escape route to try and track the suspect down.

Mr Somkiet and Ms Mawadee told police they had just visited a relative at Vachira Phuket Hospital and were on their way home, when a man on a purple Yamaha Fino scooter drove up from behind, and snatched a brown bag carried by Ms Mawadee.

The straps snapped as the thief made off with the bag containing B3,000 in cash and Samsung J-one smartphone valued at B3,390, in addition to important identity documents

Pol Lt Col Sanich said the incident was the fourth of its kind reported to his office in the past week, but did not elaborate further.

Yesterday, a Russian woman cycling in Thalang was reportedly robbed by a snatch thief who got away with a B26,000 iPhone and B400 in cash. (Story here)

Nonetheless, Lt Col Sanich assured the victims that police are studying CCTV footage along the suspected escape route to try and track the suspect down.

PHUKET: A Myanmar man and his wife are facing major drug charges in Phuket after they were arrested with 252.12 grammes of crystal meth (ya ice) – with an estimated value of B886,000 – in Rassada earlier today (Nov 28).

Phuket Governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada and Vice Governor Chokdee Armornwat were among the host of officials present when police presented the suspects – Thee Ha Soe and his wife, named only as “Moe” – to the press at Muang District Office at 11:30am.

The pair were nabbed with 252.12 grams of crystal meth valued at B886,000 by a team of drug enforcement officers from Muang District Office. Officials also seized B8,600 cash from them.

The arrests came after Chanchai Tontawachirapan, a village headman in Rassada, notified Muang District Chief Supoj Chanakit that he had received a tip-off that the couple were selling drugs near the entrance to Soi Paechaitaweekit.

The couple were staying in a rented room in the street.

Officers were tasked with monitoring the couple and their activities, including following them from the fishing pier to their rented room.

“Officers then approached the suspects and identified themselves to the suspects before searching them and the room,” Gov Chamroen told the press.

“Officers found a bag containing 17.18g of ya ice in a box, another bag containing 32.88g of ya ice in a pocket of a pair of trousers hanging outside, and two bags containing a total of 202.06g of ya ice inside a mobile phone box,” he added.

“The couple confessed that that all the items belonged to them, that they got the crystal meth from a Myanmar ‘agent’ (sic) and that they sold it Myanmar migrant workers at the fishing port,” Gov Chamroen said.

Thee Ha Soe and Moe were taken to Phuket City Police, where they were to be charged with illegal possession of Category 1 drug with intent to sale.

PHUKET: Thalang Police are searching for two male suspects with tattooed faces after they robbed a Russian woman and kicked over her bicycle, sending her sprawling on the ground this morning (Nov 28).

Olga Shnyreva, 35, told police that she was riding her bicycle on the behind on Baan Tha Ruea-Baan Koh Kaew Rd, behind Wat Tha Ruea at about 8am, when two young men rode up on a black motorcycle. The motorbike driver snatched her bag from the handlebars at the same time his male passenger kicked her bicycle, said Lt Col Sanit Noopayan of the Thalang Police. Ms Shnyreva suffered minor scrapes and bruises on her right shoulder, arm and elbow. The thieves, estimated to be in their early 20s, sped off toward Thepkrassatri Rd with her iPhone, valued at B26,000, and B400 cash. “I fell on on the road while they sped away. Both of them have small tattoos with blue ink on their faces,” Ms Shnyreva said. “Ms Shnyreva told us that she can remember both men’s faces and told us the description of the tattoos on their faces,” Col Sanit said. “We will also check CCTV footage from Thepkrasattri Rd to see if we can find a match. We hope to find these suspects soon.”

Olga Shnyreva, 35, told police that she was riding her bicycle on the behind on Baan Tha Ruea-Baan Koh Kaew Rd, behind Wat Tha Ruea at about 8am, when two young men rode up on a black motorcycle.

The motorbike driver snatched her bag from the handlebars at the same time his male passenger kicked her bicycle, said Lt Col Sanit Noopayan of the Thalang Police.

Ms Shnyreva suffered minor scrapes and bruises on her right shoulder, arm and elbow.

The thieves, estimated to be in their early 20s, sped off toward Thepkrassatri Rd with her iPhone, valued at B26,000, and B400 cash.

“I fell on on the road while they sped away. Both of them have small tattoos with blue ink on their faces,” Ms Shnyreva said.

“Ms Shnyreva told us that she can remember both men’s faces and told us the description of the tattoos on their faces,” Col Sanit said.

“We will also check CCTV footage from Thepkrasattri Rd to see if we can find a match. We hope to find these suspects soon.”

PHUKET: Thalang police are continuing to hunt for a snatch and grab thief who stole a woman’s bag on Tuesday night (Nov 24), and is believed to have carried out a second theft early this morning (Nov 26) getting away with B6,000 in cash.

Ms Namthip Kritkram, 22, and Kanokwan Trirat, 22, were on therir way home after celebrating Loy Krathong.

Pol Lt Suporn Muangkhai from Thalang Police responded to a call where it was stated that a man on a motorbike had snatched two women’s bags in front of Moo Baan Ananda Lake View on Donjomtao Rd in Thepkassattri at around 3am this morning.

The victims, Ms Namthip Kritkram, 22, and Kanokwan Trirat, 22, who were traveling on a Honda Scoopy on Thepkassattri Rd heading home after celebrating Loy Krathong told police that a man in black snatched their purses.

Ms Kanokwan told police, “The suspect, wearing a black jacket and driving a black Honda Click, approached us near the Thalang intersection. He sped up alongside us and snatched my bag which was hanging from the helmet holder. He then shoved Ms Namthip on her leg and snatched her bag which was hanging from her arm. We tried to follow him but he drove too fast.”

The victims were able to give police a description of the motorbike driven by the thief and said that he wore helmet and his motorbike had no license plate. The stolen purses contain B6,000 cash, their identification cards and other important documents police were told.

Lt Suporn Muangkhai revealed “We suspect this is the same person who snatched a woman’s bag and got away with more than B8,500 of valuables near Heroines Monument on Thepkassattri Rd on Tuesday night (Nov24). (See story here)

“The motorbike, with no number plate, appears to be the same on CCTV footage.

“We are looking for the male suspect who we believe may be living in the area, and the victims said he was heading toward Thalang junction and turned left at Thalang Warfare Victory Memorial.

“We have alerted other police stations to be on the lookout for this suspect, and we will continue to check CCTV footage from around Moo Baan Ananda and other areas nearby,” he said.

Deputy Commander Gen Chalermkiet explained, “There have been several recent cases of people using weapons to attack or try to kill others, or to destroy property.

“The police have been cracking down on these things with the aim of decreasing the number of criminals in their responsible area to ensure tourists’ safety, especially during the festival season.”

He added, “Loy Krathong will be on November 25 and many people will celebrate by floating krathongs on rivers, canals or the sea, and some places will set up all sorts of entertainment such as music and fireworks.

“We expect many people to participate in Loy Krathong this year and this will cause a lot of traffic and crowded places, which can often lead to problems such as crime, drug taking, accidents, public nuisance or gang related activities.

“When festivals take place it is often a time when criminals are active, police are aware of this and try to prevent crimes or incidents occurring.

“All police departments have been advised to prevent crimes, water incidents, accidents from fireworks and fire crackers, and also to keep the roads clear and provide security during the festival and crack down on drug and crime prior to the festival period to ensure the safety of the people during Loy Krathong.”

PHUKET: A Cambodian man was found hanged with his hands tied together in a jungle behind a Buddhist retreat in Rassada yesterday afternoon (Nov 18). Police have yet to confirm whether the case is murder or suicide.

Police speak to monks from the Buddhist retreat where the victim was often known to stay.

Phuket City Police received a call from Phra Kru Pitak Samanakij stating that the body of a man had been found hanging in a jungle behind the Pitak Samanakij Buddhist retreat on Srisutat Rd.

Pol Maj Nucharee Longkaew arrived at the scene with forensic expert Pol Lt Col Kittisak Noopheng, medical staff from Vachira Hospital and Kusoldharm rescue workers and were lead to where the bosy had been found.

Maj Nucharee said that the body of the decease was hanging from the branch of a tree but his hand had been bound with rope. There were trace of blood on the right side of his ankle.

At first no one seem to know who the man was, and it was believed that he had been dead for about three days before being discovered.

“We have been able to identify the man as 27-year-old Wit from Cambodia. He often stayed at the retreat but went missing three days ago. Monks had talked to him but didn’t know him well.

“We found a pieces of rope match the one tying the victim’s hands on the ground, we also found a bottle of bathroom cleaner. However, there were no signs of assault on the body,” Maj Nucharee said.

A Cambodian worker named Pey, 36, told police that he went to the jungle to set a trap for squirrels when he discovered the body hanging from the tree.

“I alerted the monks at the retreat immediately and they contacted police,” Mr Pey told police.

Maj Nucharee added, “It is possible that this is a homicide made to look like a suicide because the hands were bound from the front.

“It is also possible that the victim was killed somewhere else and hanged here by the perpetrator. Another theory is that the victim committed suicide and tied his hands to prevent himself pulling down the rope. Whatever the case we will investigate to find the truth.”

Mr Wits body was taken to Vachira Hospital for doctors to determine the cause of death.

PHUKET: Police arrested 13 people who turned up at a local transport company to collect a total of 41.5 kilos of kratom worth B100,000 this morning (Nov 17).

13 people arrested at Phuket transport company collecting kratom

The arrest of the 12 men and one woman and seizure of the drugs were announced at a press conference held at Phuket City Police Station at 3pm today.

According to the police report it said that all 13 suspects were part of a drug network based in Bangkok that smuggles kratom onto the island to sell to local dealers in and around Muang district.

The 13 were all arrested at Srisuchart Transport Co Ltd on Chalermprakiet Rd in Rassada when they came to to collect the kratom packages.

The 13 were named as follows:

1. Suthep Songthong, 28, from Rassada

2. 17-year-old (name withheld) from Mai Khao

3. Amarit Kumbaan, 28, from Muang district

4. Ms Uraiwan Siamsorn, 23, from Wichit

5. Wuthikul Kitiphatphumikul, 28, from Kathu

6. Taweesak Sookthong, 26, from Songkhla

7. Jirawat Phakdeewanich, 24, from Pattalung

8. Kantaphit Ektiewskul, 21, from Wichit

9. Nattapon Nunking, 21, from Talad Yai

10. Yaranan Bao-on, 27, from Nakorn Sri Thammarat

11.Pongsiri Yoksap, 18, from Nakorn Sri Thammarat

12.Wittaya Klaytook, 24, from Krabi

13Jenwit Sributhtra, 23, from Talad Yai

Phuket City Chief Investigator Col Somkid Boonyarat revealed that buyers would contact the group via Facebook and order kratom deliveries for B900 per kilo. The parcels would then be shipped to the transport company in Rassada as soon as the money had been transfer to the dealer’s account.

“We have been monitoring the group since the beginning of month, as soon as we got a tip-off today that a delivery would be made to the transport company officers were dispatched to wait for them to come and collect the parcels.

“Our officers approached the group when they showed up to claim the packages and when they opened them they found kratom leaves inside,” said Col Somkid.

PHUKET: A drug delivery man was arrested in Phuket Town last Thursday (Nov 12) during a sting operation in which he was set up to make a delivery to a regular customer at the car park of the Expo Phuket shopping centre.

Surachai Srijang was found to be in possession of a total of 76.32 grams of ya ice and 43 ya bah pills.

Phuket City Police’s Maj Rittichai Chumchuy led a team of officers to arrest 36-year-old Surachai Srijang from Rassada at the car park of Expo Phuket on Dilok Uthit Rd at 6:30pm while he was attempting to delivery drugs to his client Rattanaporn “Nui” Rattanapun.

Surachai was found to be in possession of 76.32 grams of crystal meth (ya ice) and 43 meth pills (ya bah). Police also seized from him digital scales, plastic bags, a phone and Honda Click.

The arrest of Surachai came after police arrested Rattanaporn on November 11 with 4mgs of ya ice (see story here) and told him to arrange to buy 50g from his dealer named Phurn.

Rattanaporn called Phurn and ordered the drugs and told him he wanted them delivered the next day. Phurn agreed to have the drugs delivered to Nimit Circle in Talad Yai, but Rattanaporn asked for them to be delivered to the Expo car park in case it was raining.

Maj Rittichai said, “Around 6pm Surachai arrived at the car park on a Honda Click, we approached him and searched his motorbike where we found 41.05g of ya ice in a plastic bag inside a brown bag he was carrying. We later discovered 43 ya bah pills and a further 35.27g of ya ice at his home in Rassada.

“Surachai admitted that all the drugs belonged to Phurn and that he would get paid B5,000 each time he made a delivery.

“He had made five deliveries this month, and on November 12 Phurn contacted him to make a delivery to Rattanaporn. He picked up the drugs from Phurn near the Land Transportation office in Rassada.”

Surachai was taken to Phuket City Police Station where he was charged with possession of Category 1 drug with intent to sell.

PHUKET: Police are content with the arrest of three small-time drug dealers, charging each of them with possession of a Category 1 drug (Crystal Meth) “with intent to sell without permission”, while their supplier has evaded capture.

According to a police report issued on Friday (November 13) Narcotics officers at 9.30pm last Wednesday night (November 11) arrested Mr Rattanaporn “Nui” Rattanapun, 27, with possession of about 400 milligrams of crystal meth or “ice”.

Apprehended in front of an unnamed dormitory building in the San Suk community in Phuket Town’s Talad Yai subdistrict, Nui’s arrest followed that of another young man named as Mr Suchat “Off” Dalunphet, 24, who was caught at about 5pm on the same day with an undisclosed amount of crystal meth.

According to the police report, Off had agreed to cooperate with police in expanding their drug net in exchange for a reduced punishment.

As part of the ensuing sting, police asked Off to telephone another young man in his “drug network”, the suspect named as Nui, who agreed to meet Off at his residence later that night to collect some “owed drug money” and to bring over some more “ice for smoking”.

Accompanied by Off, Police reportedly staked out Off’s residence in a police car as an unsuspecting Nui arrived at about 9pm and proceeded to phone Off, who then answered the phone to confirm he was home.

Upon the positive identification of the suspect, police proceeded to confront Nui and identify themselves before searching him and finding the 400-milligrams bag of ice taped to the bottom of his left foot.

Nui was then apprehended, the drugs and mobile phone seized as evidence.

According to the police report, Nui then volunteered information that he had more crystal meth stashed at his home, leading police to an undisclosed location where they reportedly found a second bag of ice inside a fridge weighing 1.74 grammes.

On top of the fridge, an ice smoking device and a digital scale were also found and seized as evidence.

The police report also mentions a third arrest in connection with the first two, of a suspect named as Mr Surachai “Ou” Srijaeng, but did not provide any more details about him or his arrest.

The report goes on to speculate that the drugs were thought to have come from a dealer named only as Puen, suspected of being a former inmate of Phuket Central Prison.

The dealer had allegedly sold Nui five grammes of ice for B2,200 a gramme, for which he was instructed to pick up at an electric pole near the Nimit (Seahorse) traffic circle without actually meeting the dealer.

It is not clear how the drugs were paid for, nor how the dealer was contacted, even though police have seized two mobile phones as evidence.

Nonetheless, the police report, signed off by Nui and nine officers, concludes that the investigation has been exhausted and cannot be expanded further.

This “exhausted investigation” pattern echoes that of last week when police reported busting three mules attempting to smuggle two kilos of ice onto the island.

Police later changed the amount to be less than 1 kilo and claimed they were unable to pursue the source of those drugs, likewise.

PHUKET: Six drug dealers were arrested on Friday (Nov 6) through a sting operation carried out by Phuket City Police.

Piphan Tantipradit, 31, was the first suspect to be arrested.

A team of officers led by Lt Col Prawit Eagchuwn arrested five men and one woman who were all suspected of being in the same drug network on the island.

Police seized a total of 246 grams of crystal meth, 114 meth pills, along with one Thai pradit pistol and a bullet.

The six were named as followed:

1. Piphan Tantipradit, 31, was found with nine bags of crystal meth, totalling to 54 grams. He was arrested in Sirikit Place parking lot on Pattana Rd in Talad Neua.

2. Nouwanan Limgnawn, 36, was arrested while she attempted to sell drugs to undercover police on Luang Phor Rd in Talad Yai. She was found to be in possession of 140 grams of crystal meth, which was separated into three small bags.

Lt Col Prawit said, “The arrest came after police and undercover police carried out an investigation which went on for several months and involved the arrest of Piphan (suspect 1), followed by the remaining members of the group within the sting operation.

“We apprehended Ms Naowanan, the drug supplier, who claims she obtained her drugs from an inmate in Rachaburi prison and distributed it to local dealers.”

Piphan, Surachet and Naowanan were all taken to Phuket City Police Station, while Chaichai was taken to Wichit Police Station and they were charged with Category 1 with intent to sell.

Satithep was taken to Phuket City Police station where he was charged with Category 1 with intent to sell and illegal possession of firearm and ammunition, while Ken was taken to Thalang Police Station and charged with Category 1 with intent to sell.

PHUKET: Police are investigating two men who are suspected of being behind a spate of burglaries on a Phuket City housing estate after finding more than 500 items in their home, all of which are believed to have been stolen.

More than 500 items were displayed by police after they were seized from a house in Moo Baan Phuket City Home.

Phuket City Police held a press conference yesterday afternoon (Nov 5) to report on the progress into their investigation on a spate of burglaries at the Moo Baan Phuket City Home, and displayed more than 500 items suspected of being stolen from various homes on the estate.

Speaking at the press conference, Pol Deputy Superintendent Col Sakchai Limjareon said, “We have received so many complaints of theft and burglary in the past four months, and most victims are from Moo Baan Phuket City Home.

“After checking CCTV footage from the area we noticed one vehicle that parked near or at the victim’s houses during the time frame of the the items being reported stolen.

“The vehicle turned out to be a rental rented by the occupants of one of the houses on the estate,” he said.

“When officers searched the house they discovered a huge collection of Buddha images, amulets and jewellery. They also found receipts for some items that had been sold to pawn shops in the Nonthaburi and Bangkok areas.

“The homeowner (who police refused to name but have said is 30-years-old) told us that all items belong to his friend who stayed with him, he denied all allegations. His friend told us he bought the Buddha images from friends because he likes to collect the items,” Col Sakchai added.

The seized items were put on display at Phuket City Police Station for victims to check to see if they belong to them.

“So far three victims have come and confirmed some items belong to them. If you were the victim of a recent burglary in this area please come in while police gather information and collecting evidence about ownership of these seized items” Col Sakchai concluded.

Police are continuing to investigating both the home owner and his friend, but no charges have yet been filed.

PHUKET: One man was killed and six people, including two Chinese tourists and a two-year-old boy hospitalised when a minivan crossed the central reservation and collided with an oncoming car early this morning (Nov 6) in Thepkassattri.

The driver of the Honda accord was pronounced dead on arrival at Thalang Hospital.

Thalang police were called to investigate a head-on collision between a minivan carrying two Chinese tourists and a Honda Accord on the southbound side of the Thepkassattri Rd at 1am. It was reported that the driver of the Honda had died and six people had been injured as a result of the accident.

Police arrived at the scene with Kusoldharm rescue workers to find a wrecked Honda Accord with its front completed crushed and the driver, 26-year-old Rachasak Chaithep, trapped inside.

Using the “Jaws of Life”, rescue workers were able to remove Mr Rachasak from the vehicle and immediately took him to Thalang Hospital where he was pronounced death upon arrival.

The passengers in Mr Rachasak’s vehicle were his mother, wife and child, they were named as Rachanee Chaithep, 54, (mother), Montawan Raksarak, 26, and 2-year-old Napat Chaithep.

The three passengers suffered minor injuries and were also taken to Thalang hospital.

Close to the wrecked Honda was a wrecked minivan laying on it side with its from smached into a light pole. Two Chinese tourists who were passengers in the van were seriously injured.

Ms Shengnan Gu, 29, suffered severe head injuries because she was thrown from the minivan due to the impact of the crash. Mr Zhngren Jiang, 29, suffered a broken leg, while the van driver, Sompan Meemuangnok, 31, suffered a broken arm.

All three were taken to Phuket International Hospital where Ms Shengnan remains in a coma.

Pol Lt Col Sanit Nookong said, “The minivan coming from Patong at high speed taking the two Chinese passengers to Phuket International Airport.

“It was raining at the time of the accident and due to the speed the minivan was travelling the driver lost control of the vehicle. The vehicle then crossed the central reservation and crashed head-on into the Honda which was travelling on the opposite side of the road.”

No charges have yet been file, but police said it is likely that Mr Sompan will be charged with reckless driving causing death and injury.

PHUKET: A Russian fugitive who was wanted in his home country for fraud and extortion relating to demands for “protection fees” from his countrymen amounting over B60 million has been arrested by Phuket Immigration police in front of a gym in Nai Harn.

Eldar Gassanguseynov was arrested in the car park of Nai Harn Gym in Rawai.

The announcement of the arrest of 29-year-old Eldar Gassanguseynov came at a press conference held yesterday (Nov 4).

At the press conference, Phuket Immigration Chief Col Sanchai Chokkhayaikit said that Eldar was wanted on an Interpol Red Notice, or international wanted persons alert, for fraud. It is alleged he was part of an organised criminal group which demanded “protection fees” from people in Russia.

Col Sanchai said, “Officers spotted him in a the car park of Nai Harn Gym on Wiset Rd in Rawai. When asked by police, Eldar confirmed that he is the wanted man so they took him to the immigration office.”

During questioning, police learned that Eldar had first entered Thailand in 2014. However, he said that he had moved between Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates and Thailand with relatives since that time.

Col Sanchai went on to say, “We take the Immigration Bureau’s ‘Good guys in, Bad guys out’ campaign very seriously. It is also a peace and order policy of the the national police chief Pol Gen Chakthip Chaijinda to regularly tackle international crime and criminals who seek refuge in Thailand.

“We discovered that Eldar has been living in Thailand on an expired visa so he will be taken to Chalong Police Station and charged with living in Thailand illegally before we hand over him to Interpol,” said Col Sanchai.

Bill Roberts, Managing Director of Nai Harn Gym, refuted reports that Eldar was hired to work as a trainer at the gym.

“The person in question was a member of Nai Harn Gym, but in no way was employed by our facility,” he told The Phuket News this morning.

Based on today’s street price of B3,000 a gram, the haul would be worth B6 million retail. The drugs, wrapped in multiple layers of packaging, were found concealed on a woman passenger of a black Honda Civic with Bangkok plates that was stopped for a search at about 2.30am. The woman, named as 24-year-old Apaporn Jiewmaidaeng told police that she was given the drugs by another male passenger, Mr Tatsanai Saendee, 28, to hide under her shirt as the car approached Phuket from Phang Nga. Sitting in the front passenger seat, Mr Tatsanai admitted to picking up the drugs at a pedastrian bridge between the districts of Phra Saeng and Wieng Sa, the police report read. The driver, 28-year-old Chaipichit Kaewkarn — lover of Ms Apaporn — told police the drugs were to be delivered to a woman named Ann, the girlfriend of another male friend named Nen, who was scheduled to pick the drugs up at Tha Reua in Thalang, a plan that has now been compromised. Meanwhile police recorded the phone number of Ms Ann and charged all three mules with possession of category 1 drugs (ice or crystal meth) with intent to sell.

PHUKET: The GPS tracking signal of an Ipad reported stolen recently on Koh Tao led Phuket police to a house on the south of the island early this morning, where they found and arrested three suspects in possession of the stolen item along with electronic cards and skimming equipment believed to have been used to target ‘many tourists over several years’.

Acting on a tipoff from the Koh Tao Police in Surat Thani, Phuket Police at 1am early this morning (November 1) tracked the stolen Ipad GPS signal to a house on Soi Sai 1 in Chalong.

After noting three foreign suspects on motorbike arrive at the house, officers identified themselves before proceeding to search the house, where they found the stolen Ipad and a number of other items, which were seized as evidence.

The suspects were named as 21-year-old Juan Pablo Da Costa Varao, a French national of Latin descent; 26 year-old Phellipe Andre Dias and 24-year-old Lucidio Firmino da Silva Junior, both Brazilian nationals.

Police seized a notebook computer, Ipad, two Iphones, three skimming devices, two Visa electronic cards and one Mastercard electronic card, and charged the suspects with “joining together and possessing equipment for duplicating or copying electronic card data belonging to others” and “theft of valuables belonging to others”.

The suspects were taken to Phuket Provincial Police station and questioned with the help of a French interpreter.

“We believe they’re part of an international skimming gang that has been working together for three to five years targeting tourists in international tourist destinations throughout Asia and inter-continentally,” said the Pol Col Somkid Boonrat, the Phuket officer in charge of the case.

“They’ve all denied being part of an international skimmer gang but admitted that the [skimming] equipment belongs to them and was brought from Brazil.”

Col Somkid said that the skimming equipment was examined and found to have recorded information of “many foreign tourists” but did not elaborate further.

PHUKET: Police have arrested an 18-year-old from Songkhla for a spate of smash-and-grab car break-ins in Phuket, with the perpetrator confessing to eight vehicle robberies within the past two months and spending his ill-gotten gains on partying and drugs.

Chetsadakorn Sukkrajang demonstrates how he broke into the vehicles for money to party in Phuket. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub

Phuket City Police arrested Chetsadakorn Sukkrajang near the Choknamtang Transport Co Ltd workers camp where he lived, on Thepkasattri Rd in Srisoonthon, at 9pm last night (Oct 30).

Police seized two pairs of Ray-Ban sunglasses, three Buddha image amulets along with a blue Honda Wave registered in Chumphon and one monkey wrench used in carrying out the robberies.

Pol Lt Col Somsak Thongkleang said that Chetsadakorn’s arrest followed five victims filing complaints that their vehicles had been broken into and robbed during September and October.

“We checked CCTV in the areas where the robberies were reported and tracked down the getaway vehicle to the owner in Chumphon,” he said.

“Woraphan Kamhong, 34, the registered owner of the motorbike used in the robberies, is an employee of Choknamtang Transport Co Ltd. He told police that he often lent his motorbike to his workmate Chetsadakorn, who said that he used it to go visit his parents in Wichit.”

Mr Woraphan led police to Chetsadakorn’s accommodation, where he was placed under arrest.

Chetsadakorn later confessed to police that he had robbed eight vehicles in Phuket, the latest one on October 29, said Col Somsak.

“He said he broke into four vehicles on that one night: one parked near Suang Luang Park, one on Sakdidet Rd, another on the bypass road and a fourth at a housing estate near the Heroines Monument,” explained Col Samsak.

“He targeted only vehicles parked away from street lights and in deserted areas, and he stole only valuable items and cash.

“He said he used the money stolen for partying, such as going to karaoke bars, massage parlours and for buying drugs. He kept the amulets and sunglasses for himself,” Col Somsak said.

Chetsadakorn had a history of petty crime, Col Somsak added.

“He had been previously arrested in Songkhla four times for theft and once for drug possession,” he said.

Chetsadakorn was charged at Phuket City Police Station with theft at night by using getaway vehicle and with damaging other people’s property.

PHUKET: Two teens involved in a road rage incident on bypass road yesterday (Oct 26) during which one of them threatened a car driver with a homemade handgun were arrested today (Oct 27) after the victim went to police and filed a complaint.

Phuket City Police held a press conference at 2:30pm today to announce the arrest of two Phuket teenagers seen on camera footage threatening a vehicle driver with a gun whilst driving on Charlearm Prakiet Rd near the Samkong underpass yesterday. (See story here)

Both boys are aged 17 and were named only as A and B at the press conference. Police said that they had seized a Thai Pradit pistol and a Honda Click from them.

The arrest of the two came after a video clip of the incident was posted on Facebook and went viral, and the victim, Weerachon Chuykhao filed a complaint at Phuket City Police Station.

Pol Lt Col Somsak Thongkleang who carried out the arrest said, “Having clearly been able to view the licence plate of the motorbike in the video led us to the first boy A who was found in a rented home in Moo 2 Kathu.

“A was the passenger on the motorbike who was seen pointing the gun at the driver on the video.

“Upon arrival at the house we found A at the front door and discovered a Honda Click without a licence plate parked nearby. A was arrested last year for illegal road racing,” said Lt Col Somsak.

“A admitted to police that he and B were involved in the incident and panicked after the video went viral. They decided to remove the licence plate and at hid it under the seat. They threw the gun away in bushes near a canal behind the Komaraphat Community where B lives.”

“We were able to apprehended B at his house in the Komaraphat Community,” Lt Col Somsak explained.

A told police that Mr Weerachon was driving behind them on bypass rd and flashed his lights at them asking them to move over to let the vehicle pass. A said they moved to the side to let the vehicle pass, but Weerachon frowned and cursed them.

He then told B to speed up to catch up with Mr Weerachon and when they had he pulled out the gun and threatened the driver with it. When Mr Weerachon stopped his vehicle they sped away, A commented in his police statement.

A and B are now being held at Phuket City Police Station where they have been charged with carrying firearms in a public place and threatening others with a deadly weapon.

PHUKET: Phuket Police are looking for two young men involved in a road rage incident on the bypass road yesterday (Oct 26) during which one them allegedly threatened a car driver at gunpoint.

The news broke after a video clip of the incident posted on Facebook started going viral. The clip has had more than 326,000 views since it was posted online late yesterday afternoon.

The video shows two young men on a motorbike reacting angrily after the car reportedly nearly collided with them near the Samkong Underpass.

The car continued, but the two men on the motorbike soon overtook the vehicle, with the young man riding pillion apparently pointing a gun at the car driver and threatening him, before the motorbike sped off.

“Our officers have identified the license plate of the motorbike recorded in the video,” Lt Col Prawit Engchuan, Chief Investigator and Deputy Commander of the Phuket Provincial Police, confirmed to The Phuket News.

“We are looking for the owner of motorbike now. We will then call in the two young men for questioning,” Col Prawit said.

PHUKET: One of the two remaining suspects wanted in connection with the shooting of the 15-year-old boy at the closing procession of the Vegetarian Festival on Oct 22 surrendered to police yesterday afternoon (Oct 26).

27-year-old Anon Wandee surrendered to police yesterday (Oct 26).

Deputy Superintendent Pol Col Peerayuth Karajadee said that Anon Wandee, 27, handed himself in to Phuket City Police at 4:30pm after an arrest warrant was issued for carrying firearms in a public place without a permit, accessory to murder and attempted murder and using firearm in public place.

Anon, who is alleged to be a member of the Wanwai and Gang Jao Mai Yung gangs, has denied all allegations made against him.

The shooting of the 15-year-old boy occurred on the last day of Vegetarian Festival close to the Phuket Vocational College in Saphan Hin. (See story here)

Police have so far arrested four people in connection with the shooting, which also left three other teenage boys injured, however, one man named as Pradit Pinyosuk still remains at large. (See story here)

Col Peerayuth said, “Arrest warrants had been issued for six suspects, five of them are now in custody but we still looking for 20-year-old Pradit Pinyosuk or “Ek Jao Mai Yung” who is still in hiding.

“We are gathering more information so that we can bring in other teens who may have been involved in this case. It is possible that more arrest warrants will be issued.”

PHUKET: Police yesterday arrested two 18-year-old suspects and seized guns and amunition from a house in Kathu, but have yet to charge the boys in connection with the Vegetarian Festival shooting murder.

The two 18-year-old suspects have not yet been charged with murder of the 15-year-old.

The arrests were made as part of the investigation into the murder of a 15 year old boy, gunned down during the final procession of Vegetarian Festival finale early on October 22. See original story here.

Under the command of Phuket Police Deputy Commander Colonel Pirayut Karachedi, officers yesterday raided a house in Kathu’s Moo 4 locale, where they arrested the two 18-year-olds, seizing two guns, seven bullets and a holster.

Thanaphon “Jay Wunwhai” Chusawat of Kathu – whose nickname in English literally means “Anxious Jay” – was found in possession of a registered .38 caliber revolver and one matching holster, and charged with unauthorized possession of a weapon registered to someone else, as well as entering a village or public place armed without a permit or necessity.

My Chinkrit “Hom Wunwai” Kerdthong – “Hom the Unsteady” – of Kathu was arrested with a homemade “pen gun” along with seven.38 calibre bullets, and charged with possession of a gun, and bringing a gun into a village or public place without a permit or necessity.

It is understood that the two suspects were identified by a 16-year-old named only as “Joey”.

Police have yet to charge the suspects for the murder or clarify the 16-year-old’s connection to the case.

PHUKET: A man from Bangkok was arrested for multiple thefts on Thursday (Oct 22) when he was apprehended whilst trying to sell one of the stolen items. The man told police he stole the items because he needed money to return home.

Surachet Banda, 37, with two of his victims.

Provincial Police arrested Surachet Banda, 37, when he was found to be in possession of stolen items including two notebooks and chargers, a BabyG watch, gold chain with amulet and iPad.

Pol Maj Rittichai Chumchuy has said that Surachet had committed a number of thefts in the Thalang area recently and was finally arrested in front of a 7-eleven store in Moo Baan Thepburi in Rassada at 9:30pm on Thursday with help from undercover officers.

“Surachet arrived at the store on a Honda Wave to sell a stolen notebook to a someone when officers apprehended him.

“We tracked down one stolen Acer notebook and the iPad to a Aree Ratchakarn in Pa Khlok who had bought the items from him. The rest of the items we found at his rented room in Srisoonthon,” Maj Rittichai said.

“We have been monitoring his activity for a while, and after we were sure he had committed the thefts and was selling the items on we arrested him,” he added.

One of the victims, Pras Kongrat, who had filed a complaint with police because his iPad had been stolen on October 16 came to the station and confirmed that the iPad Surachet had in his possession was his.

Two other victims have also gone to police and confirmed that the items Surachet had were theirs.

Surachet told police that prior to his arrest he committed 4 thefts in Thalang. He had broken into the victim’s houses and stolen valuable items. Most of the items had already been sold to local residents.

Surachet added that he and his girlfriend needed the money so they could go back home.

Surachet was taken to Thalang Police Station where he was charged with theft using a getaway vehicle.

PHUKET: A 15-year-old-boy was killed and three other teenagers injured during a shoot-out at the closing ceremony of the Vegetarian Festival at Saphan Hin in the early hours of this morning (Oct 22).

Phuket City Police were called to investigate a shooting close to the Phuket Vocational College in Talad Yai at 12:20am where it had been reported one youth had died and three others had been injured.

Pol Inspector Maj Porntip Chumsri and Lt Col Chaow Phomna arrived at the scene with a team of officers and Vachira Hospital medical staff to find Kusoldharm rescue workers treating the three injured youths.

The body of the15-year-old boy, named only Bao, had suffered gunshot wounds to his chest from a 9mm gun. His body was taken to Vachira Hospital while rescue workers and medical staff attended to three injured victims.

The three injured youths have been named only as Mao, 14, who suffered a single gunshot wound to his right arm; Toe, 14, shot once in the back, and Kai, 15, who was shot once in the stomach.

All three were later transferred to Vachira Hospital.

Police found one 9mm bullet near the body of Bao and 16 9mm bullet casings 50 metres away from the body. A Toyota Vios which was parked nearby had also been hit by stray bullets.

Police said that while more than 10,000 people had gathered at Sapan Hin to celebrate the end of the Vegetarian Festival a group of teenagers on two motorbikes started to chase another group of teens also on motorbikes close to the Lucky Complex.

Two gunmen who were passengers on the motorbikes opened fire at the victims and shot dead Bao and injured Mao, Toe and Kai before speeding off towards the vocational college.

Lt Col Chaow said, “All of the victims are students at a private secondary school in Phuket Town. The school is closed for a holiday so the group of friends came to join the Vegetarian Festival procession.

“According to witnesses, when the shooters rode their motorbikes past the victims, they [the victims] lit firecrackers and threw them at the suspects. This sparked an altercation and it ended with the four boys being shot.

“We will now gather more information and question any friends, family and witnesses who might be able to give us better descriptions of the suspects so we can bring them in for questioning,” he said.

PHUKET: A Territorial Defense Volunteer in Phuket has been fined B500 for pistol-whipping a Kuwaiti tourist and breaking his nose last month. However, the volunteer, Amnard Choodet, 38, may face more serious penalties for gun-related charges.

Police are investigating whether the gun Amnard Choodet (pictured) struck the tourist with has been used in other crimes.

Patong Police charged Amnard with assault and carrying a gun in public after an altercation with Fahad Al Mutariy, 57, in Patong on Sept 9. (See story here.)

Amnard, a part-time Territorial Defense Volunteer for Kathu District, was found carrying a .38 Taurus revolver and 18 bullets on the Patong beach road when he was taken into custody.

Phuket Provincial Court on September 14 handed down a B1,000 fine and sentenced Amnard to one-year imprisonment for the assault.

“But as the defendant confessed and entered a plea of guilty, the court halved his fine and suspended his prison sentence,” a source at the court told The Phuket News yesterday (Oct 20).

The maximum penalty for assault is two years imprisonment, a B2,000 fine, or both.

Kathu District chief Sayan Chanachaiwong dismissed Amnard from his duty as a part-time Kathu Territorial Defense Volunteer immediately after the incident.

“He was only a part-time volunteer at that time and he is no longer in that position already,” Chief Sayan said. “We revoked his volunteer’s identification card and his permit to carry a gun in public while on duty.

“He also no longer has that gun. Police seized it and sent it to the forensic department for investigation,” he added.

PHUKET: A Myanmar national was arrested last night (Oct 14) for beating his drinking buddy to death in Wichit on Tuesday night.

Lek admitted to killing his friend after they had a heated argument following a long drinking session.

Wichit Police, led by Deputy Superintendant Lt Col Pichet Cheinphet, arrested 39-year-old construction worker named only as Lek on an arrest warrant issued by Phuket Provincial Court on October 14 for assault causing death.

He was arrested at the downtown market on Ranong Rd in Talad Neua.

The beating occurred at 8pm on Tuesday, but police were only alerted of the death after the body was found in front of a three-storey shophouse in the residential area of Soi Sookniran 8 off, Chao Fa East Rd, at about 8:20am on yesterday. (See story here)

The victim’s identity was revealed by police a fellow Myanmar construction worker named Keng aged 35.

Lek told police that at 5pm on Tuesday he was drinking with four friends including Keng and at about 7pm two friends left and he and Keng continued drinking. Before calling it a night, the two men had a heated argument and this is when Lek attacked Keng.

The next day Keng was found dead near the gate of the shophouse with his head and face severely beaten.

PHUKET: Police are attempting to identify the body of a man who was bludgeoned to death in a grievous attack in front of abandoned shophouse near Wat Thepnimit, in Wichit, early this morning (Oct 14).

Apparently the neighbours heard a loud argument last night that came to an abrupt end, and thought nothing of it until the man’s body was found this morning. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub

Wichit Police Inspector Maj Somkid Onchan was called to investigate after the body was found in front of a three-storey shophouse in the residential area of Soi Sookniran 8 off, Chao Fa East Rd, at about 8:20am

Police arrived at the scene with Kusoldharm rescue workers to find the body of a man, estimated to be 25 to 30 years old, lying in a pool of blood in the parking area behind the locked gate to the home.

“The victim’s head and face had been severely beaten with a blunt object,” said Maj Somkid. “At this time, we have no clue who he was. We presume he had been dead for at least six hours before his body was discovered,” he added.

A piece of blood-stained wood and a piece of steel were found at the scene. Blood had also spattered over the wall near the body. Construction materials were nearby as the shophouse was under renovation.

“Forensic police are gathering all information and evidence at the scene and the body was taken to Vachira Hospital for doctors to confirm the cause of death,” said Maj Somkid.

The building owner told police that he had hired contractors to renovate the building and only “two or three” workers were living on-site, said Maj Somkid, who did not elaborate whether the victim was one of them.

Residents in the area told police that they heard people arguing loudly late last night. Apparently the argument stopped abruptly, and apparently nothing seemed odd to the residents until the body was found this morning, Maj Somkid reported.

“We think the victim was a construction worker who was attacked by a co-worker – or co-workers – with the piece of wood and the steel,” Maj Somkid said.

“It appears the victim attempted to flee by climbing the fence, but he lost consciousness or his attackers got to him first.

“However, we have to establish his identity first, only then can we proceed to find the suspect or suspects,” he said.

PHUKET: The families of the two victims who were killed when they crashed their bike into a police vehicle while fleeing apprehension on Saturday will receive no less than B100,000 in compensation from the Royal Thai Police.

The Deputy Commissioner of the Royal Thai Police was dispatched to the island this morning to address last night’s protest and riot at Thalang Police Station.

At 11.30am this morning, Police General Chalermkiat Srivorakan met with Region 8 Police Commander, Pol Lt General Tesa Siriwato and Phuket Police Provincial Police Commander, Maj Gen Patchara Boonyasit for about an hour at the third floor meeting room of Thalang Police Station Police, before leading a walking inspection of the damages inside and outside the police station.

General Chalermkiat noted that there were a total of seven scorched police vehicles and 25 more vehicles in the vicinity that had been damaged, in addition to a number of damaged motorbikes.

Windows throughout the first through third floors of the station were broken, while curtains, helmets, walls, ceilings, chairs, desks, documents and office equipment were also damaged.

Gen Chalermkiet said that the exact value of damages is pending a full report and investigation into the underlying incident.

He confirmed that the four officers involved in the original incident–Police Lieutenant Suchart Leucha, Police Senior Sergeant Major Prasai Peungphon, Police Lance Corporal Kanthaphon Kongnuket and Pol Lance Corp Phanuwit Kaesung–have given statements and been transferred until the investigation is complete.

He added that police are also holding mediation sessions with family members of the two deceased, who would each receive no less than 100,000 baht.

Meanwhile, Gen Chalermprakiet has ordered for Maj Gen Patchara Boonyasit to establish a temporary “complaints corner” for residents to formally lodge complaints and submit related evidence to be considered in the ongoing investigation.

The Prime Minister has endorsed this temporary solution, and we have to find a legal and fair solution for both sides, he said.

So let me see if I get this straight. These guys were running from the police, yet the criminal’s families get money without any trial establishing the police did something wrong? I’m confused.

PHUKET: Half a dozen police officers have been treated for injuries while a total of 21 vehicles were vandalized by angry rioters last night who had encircled the Thalang Police Station in retaliation for the death of two teenagers yesterday.

The protest and ensuing riot follows a police chase that ended in the death of two teens midday on Saturday.

As the protest began to gain momentum yesterday afternoon, both the Phuket governor and police chief were dispatched to the scene in hopes of quelling the escalating situation. (story here)

But their efforts were to no avail as the crowd and tensions only grew into the night.

By 7pm, the road in front of the police station was closed The Phuket News’ breaking news corespondent was trapped on the third floor of the police station with other officers as an angry mob outside proceded to vandalize the police station and police vehicles parked outside.

By 8.41pm, the mob threatened to burn down the police station, as police called for backup.

In the proceding chaos, windows were broken, and a total of 21 cars were damaged, including nine police cars that had been completely scorched.

Meanwhile, teens reportedly were speeding back and forth on motorbikes, revving their engines loudly.

After midnight, dozens of rioters reportedly attacked a dozen unarmed traffic police who were monitoring the situation near Makro Thalang. From this incident, it is understood that four officers were treated for wounds at Thalang Hospital.

The crowd finally began to disperse by about 3.30am this morning after a team of about 7 negotiaters from 41 Army Circle in Nakhon Si Thammarat arrived to the scene.

The Phuket News understands that the protesters and rioters agreed to disperse under the understanding that if they did not, a much larger force from Nakhon Si Thammarat would be dispatched.

But as the protesters were dispersing, more officers were attacked about 300 meters from the police station, at the Ban Kien junction near Thalang junction.

According to eyewitnesses, someone from the crowd yelled out that officers were attacking residents at the traffic junction, but as a crowd mobilized to the junction, they only found police officers attempting to flee.

As a result of the incident, two more officers were transported to Thalang Hospital and treated for minor injuries, The Phuket News has learned.

Meanwhile, an emergency meeting between police, army and villagers is scheduled at Thalang’s Ban Don sub district at 9am this morning.

At Phuket airport no flights were delayed or canceled but dozens of passengers were reported to have checked in late or declared “No Show” by airlines.

PHUKET: A man was arrested last night (October 9) when police busted him at Tha Chatchai police checkpoint in Mai Khao with 3,921 meth pills and four grams of crystal meth hidden inside his van.

Suthichai Kongsamuth was arrested last night (October 9).

Tha Chatchai police arrested Mai Khao resident, Suthichai Kongsamuth, 34, at around 10pm. Police also seized a Toyota van that he used to transport the drugs, as well as his mobile phone.

After stopping the Toyota, Pol. L/C Veeraporn Decharoon and Thalang officials searched the vehicle and found two blue packages wrapped in tape hidden next to the passenger seat, which had the drugs inside.

Suthichai was taken to Tha Chatchai Police Station where he told police that his Nakorn Sri Thammarat inmate, Banglee, paid him to sell the drugs in Phuket for B250 per pill.

“Banglee contacted me by phone and told me to pick up the drugs on Phang Nga-Phuket Rd near Baankalai School in Takhua Thung,” he told police.

PHUKET: Phuket police arrested a snatch and grab thief who this morning (Oct 9) stole a woman’s bag while she was riding a motorbike on Chao Fa East Rd. The arrest was made after the man crashed his motorbike into a vehicle stopped at a set of red traffic lights and was apprehended by members of the public.

Police question the thief, Boonphiphob Baowan, 29, from Khon Kaen.

Phuket City Police were called to investigate an incident on Chao Fa East Rd and upon arrival found a Honda Zoomer X smashed into the front of a Toyota Altis.

Local residents had captured a man, Boonphiphob Baowan, 29, from Khon Kaen and told police that he he had attempted to flee from 35-year-old Siriwan Tongsiri after he had snatched her bag while riding her motorbike in front of Suan Luang Rama 9 park.

Ms Siriwan told police, “He pulled up so close to my motorbike and grabbed my bag out of the front basket.”

Lt Saman Phromhom said that Ms Siriwan chased after Boonphiphob on her motorbike and yelled for help. He tried to make a u-turn but lost control of his motorbike and crashed into the vehicle waiting at the traffic lights.

Boonphiphob was taken to Phuket City Police Station where he was charged with theft and reckless driving.

PHUKET: Police seized a Nissan Teana valued at over B1-million, 31 grams of crystal meth (ya ice), 3,506 methamphetamine pills (ya bah) four guns and various ammunition, a bankbook and drug-taking paraphernalia from four drug suspects who were arrested in and around Phuket Town on Monday and Tuesday (Oct 5-6).

The arrests began with with 24-year-old Siripon “Ying” Raksakeaw at a room of the PSA Hotel in Poonpol Soi 3 at 1pm on Monday, when she was found in possession on two bags each containing .5g of ya ice. Siripon was charged with possession of a category 1 drug with intent to sell.

During questioning, Siripon told police that she had bought the drugs from Anitwat “New” Chamnan, 30, who was also staying at the PSA Hotel.

Police returned to the hotel at 3pm, searched Anitwat’s room and found six bags containing a total of 15g of ya ice, a homemade gun and three cartridges. Anitwat was charged for possession of a Category 1 drug with intent to sell and illegal possession of a firearm.

PHUKET: Police have called on two Australian tourists who suffered a severe beating by security staff on Patong’s Bangla Rd to step forward and file a complaint so that charges can be pressed.

The attack which occurred around midnight on Wednesday was captured on video by a bystander, who later posted the disturbing footage.

WARNING! THE VIDEO IS VERY GRAPHIC!

The video went viral before it was taken offline.

The footage showed five Thai men dressed in black security uniforms repeatedly beating the two men, kicking the men in the head even while they were on the ground.

Police have identified and questioned the five security staff captured on video beating the two tourists, but so far have declined to name the attackers.

“All five security guards said that two drunk foreign men came into the pub and after they ordered more drinks, they refused to pay,” said Kathu Police Deputy Superintendent Lt Col Akanit Danpitaksarn.

“The guards said the two foreign men started the fight when the guards attempted to stop them from sexually harassing female customers in the pub.

“All guards admitted that they got very impatient with the two and escorted them out of the pub and said that the fight started after the two men tried to re-enter the pub.

Col Akanit urged the two tourists to come forward and file a complaint.

“Otherwise, there is nothing more we can do,” he said. “I have warned the guards and told them to help preserve our ‘tourism image’ [sic], but no charges can be pressed against them until the victims file a complaint.

“Right now we are looking to find out who the two victims are and why they did not come forward to police after being attacked. So far we have no record of anyone filing a police report for assault over the incident.”

Kathu District Chief Sayan Chanachaiwong, who is investigating the incident, told The Phuket News that police have called on the Australian Embassy to try to contact the two men and convince them to file a police complaint.

“I have also recommended to Phuket Governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada that he order the White Room, the venue where the attack took place, to close for at least one week, while this incident is being sorted out,” he said.

“Right now all the police have is the security guards’ version of what happened. We really need the two tourists to come in and give us their version of events.”

Street violence in Phuket’s famed party town of Patong made international headlines in March, when 59-year-old expat Mark Pendlebury from Western Australia was charged for fatally stabbing a nightclub staffer.

Mr Pendlebury was charged with murder, despite his claims that he was acting in self-defence. He was later cleared by CCTV footage that convinced the Patong police to drop the charge against him.

PHUKET: A 50-year-old Thai woman has died and 12 people have been injured after a bus travelling from Phuket to Satun, on the Malaysian border, caught fire in Phang Nga province, just north of the island, this morning (Oct 7).

The bus caught fire about one hour after departing Phuket’s main bus terminal. Photo: Eakkapop Thongthub

Police and rescue workers were called to the scene, near Takua Thung Police Station, at 10:18am.

The bus left Phuket at about 9am and apparently stopped at Songpon Steel workshop in Takua Thung for minor welding repairs to a broken seat near the front of the bus, Takua Thung Police told The Phuket News.

The welding was carried out while all 21 passengers, Thai and foreign, were still onboard.

Sparks from the welding started a fire that quickly spread through the bus, prompting the passengers to cram the exit near the centre of the bus.

Local residents who rushed to help smashed bus windows to help the trapped passengers to escape.

Three people collapsed inside the bus, but were quickly recovered by people at the scene.

However, a 50-year-old Thai woman whose name has yet to be released, could not be revived. She was later pronounced dead on arrival at Phang Nga Hospital

Twelve other passengers – two men and 10 women, including one 15-year-old girl – were taken to Phang Nga Hospital for treatment of injuries sustained in escaping the blaze. Two of the injured were from Phuket.

Five remain in intensive care.

“Charges have yet to be filed and we have yet to independently confirm the cause of the fire,” one officer from Takua Thung Police told The Phuket News.

“The bus is owned and operated by Trang Ruammit Co Ltd. We are still questioning the driver and the owner of the Songpon Steel workshop about the incident.

“The bus driver said that while the seat was being welded, they forgot to disconnect the power cables from the battery, which caused a short circuit,” the officer said.

PHUKET: Police are currently looking for a thief or thieves who broke into a man’s car and stole two amulets valued at over B100,000 while he was taking his young son for an appointment at Vachira Hospital.

Police inspect the vehicle from where the amulets were stolen.

Weerachai Khaokaew, 35, from Krabi had taken his son for an appointment at the hospital at 3pm yesterday (Oct 4). He could not find a parking space in the hospital grounds so parked close to the Tammua Northeastern restaurant on Komarapaj Rd in Talad Yai.

Upon returning to the car he found that it had been broken into and the two amulets stolen.

“When I got back to my car I found that the left-hand side window had been broken and a 100-year-old Luang Phor Cham amulet from Wat Chalong and a Luang Pho Ngern Wat Bangklan amulet had been stolen along with some petty cash,” Mr Weerachai told police.

Police are currently checking CCTV footage from the area in hope of catching the perpetrators.

PHUKET: Thalang Police hope that fingerprint samples will lead them to the arsonist who set a man’s Honda Wave motorbike ablaze early this morning.

Thalang Police on hunt for Phuket motorbike arsonist

At 4am this morning, Pol Maj Kraisorn Bunprasop of the Thalang Police Station was alerted to an arson incident that occured at a house in the Ban Phrusomparn village of Thepkrasattri sub district’s Moo 8.

Arriving to the scene, house number 240, Pol Maj Kraisorn met with residents Mr Natee Manabutr, 47, and his wife, who showed the officer their badly-damaged Honda Wave 100 motorbike, which had been burnt to a black crisp.

Mr Natee gave a statement that he and his wife had been sleeping when they were rudely awakened to realize their motorbike, parked in front of the house, was in flames.

Mr Natee said that he, his wife and neighbors proceded to extinguish the fire using buckets of water, fearing that the flames would spread to the house

It took about 10 minutes before the flames were completely doused, he noted.

In front of the house, nearby, Pol Maj Kraisorn found a clue, a green 5-litre oil container.

“There was still oil inside so we collected it and brought it back to Thalang Police Station to collect fingerprint samples as evidence,” Maj Kraisorn said.

Police also invited Mr Natee to Thalang Police Station for further questioning but did not provide any details about a suspect or motive.

PHUKET: Police in Phuket City have made two startling arrests that have highlighted how easy it is for youths to obtain guns and live ammunition and sell them on to third parties in Phuket.

Thalerngsak Sonyee (left), 21, bought his gun on Facebook and had it delivered by post, and the 16-year-old (right) said he made his gun for sale himself.

The first arrest was of a 16-year-old boy in possession of home-made gun that he was intending to sell to a “client” on Monday (Sept 28).

The teen, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was found in possession of a home-made pistol and five .38-calibre bullets while he was waiting in a bookstore on Montri Rd, said Pol Lt Ritthichai Chumchoy.

“We moved in and arrested him at 10:30am after we received a tip-off from undercover police,” he said.

The boy was apparently waiting for a “client” to arrive to buy the home-made pistol, called a Thai Pradit, after the arrangement had been made by phone, Pol Lt Ritthichai added.

“We found him on the second-floor, pacing back and forth. He panicked and attempted to run when officers approached him,” he explained.

“When asked where he bought the gun, he said that he had made it himself,” Pol Lt Ritthichai added.

The Phuket News has yet to learn from police where the boy learned to make the gun, and where he sourced the materials needed.

Thalerngsak, taken into custody at 1:30pm on Tuesday (Sept 29), was found in possession of a registered pistol, three 12-gauge shotgun shells and a dozen .38-calibre bullets.

His arrest, like that of the 16-year-old, also followed a tip-off by undercover officers that he was at the store to deliver a gun to a “client”.

“Thalerngsak said that he bought the gun via a Facebook group and that he paid B7,000 for it,” Pol Lt Sommai said. “He said he got it delivered by post, two weeks ago.”

“Thalerngsak also said that he bought a box of bullets (containing 50 rounds) for B1,450 from Thalang Shooting Range in Sakoo (south of Phuket International Airport),” Pol Lt Sommai said.

Thalerngsak and the 16-year-old were taken to Phuket City Police Station, where they were charged with illegal possession of firearms and ammunition and carrying firearms and ammunition in a public place without a permit.

The Phuket News has yet to learn what investigations police are carrying out into the Facebook group through which Thalerngsak bought the gun, and who his prospective “client” was.

The Phuket News has also yet to learn what investigations police are carrying out into the allegation that the Thalang Shooting Range sold live ammunition to person who did not have a permit to carry it in a public place.

The Thalang Shooting Range made headlines around the world in March this year when 21-year-old British tourist Liam Colven, from Portree in Scotland, committed suicide by pointing the firearm he had rented at the range at his head and shooting himself at point-blank range.

Police first arrested Ms Pimpa Bua-gnam, 24, and Mr Napat Prachoompan, 35, at a rented home in Soi Pethkood in Patong at around 7am. The two had between them a Thai pradit pistol, five rounds of 9mm bullets and one .22 bullet, and two bags of crystal meth (ya ice) weighing .30grams.

Officers then went on to arrest Mr Jurin Penmit, 28, at a house in Soi Phrabaramee when he was found to have in his possession a .38 Colt pistol, 20 rounds of .38 bullets and 12 rounds of 9mm bullets.

All three were taken to Kathu Police Station where they were charged with illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.

PHUKET: Police arrested four in the space of 24 hours when they were found to be in possession of a variety of drugs including kratom, methamphetamine (ya bah) pills and crystal meth (ya ice) and ammunition.

Kingkulab Buthdeekam, 36, was arrested with 4.40 grams of ya ice and Namthip Ponsalee, 33, with one ya bah pill in Soi Nanai in Patong.

Yesterday afternoon (Sept 23), a Chonburi man was arrested at his rented room in Talad Yai with 1 kilo of kratom leaves, kratom juice and five bullets in Talad Yai.

A team from Phuket Provincial Police arrested Athipat Kamsiri, 26, after receiving a tip-off from undercover officers that he had been selling kratom leaves and juice to teenagers in Moo Baan Saphan Hin in Vichit and the surrounding area.

Pol Lt Ritthichai Chumchoy said, “We came to Athipat’s rented room just as we was about to leave. We searched him and his room and found 30 bundles of kratom leaves inside a plastic bag, kratom juice still warm in a pot and the bullets in the wooden box in the bedroom.”

Athipat told police that he bought 2 kilos of kratom leaves from a woman named Nuan and paid her B1,400 per kilo. He picked up the kratom from her home in the Sapanruam 1 Community on Monday (Sept 21).

“I sold some of the leaves to local teens for B100 per bundle,” Athipat told officers.

“Athipat told us that the bullets belonged to his friend called Ton who had left them at his room two years ago,” Pol Lt Ritthichai added.

Athipat was taken to Phuket City Police Station where he was charged with illegal possession of a Category 5 drug and illegal possession of ammunition.

Thalang police seized 1,140 ya bah pills and six .22 bullets from 40-year-old Nipon Choonak at 10pm yesterday at his rented home in Srisoonthon.

The arrest of Nipon came after narcotics police arrested 43-year-old Yuthtana Baojareon in Rassada for drug possession.

When questioned by police, Yuthtana gave police his dealer’s name and address.

“We arrived at Nipon’s room and found him sitting on the front porch. We searched him and his room and found 1,100 ya bah pills in separate bags and 40 pills inside four plastic straws. We also found six bullets inside a plastic bag,” said Pol Lt Ritthichai Chumchoy.

Nipon told police that ten days ago he bought 2,000 ya bah pills from a man named Prasit Sae-ing whom he contacted by phone.

“I paid B280,000 for them and Prasit dropped them off to me behind the Wat Srisunton School in Thalang. I have already sold some to local teens. The bullets I bought from a friend of mine and I use them to shoot small animals,” Nipon told police.

Nipon was taken to Thalang Police Station where he was charged with illegal possession of Category 1 drugs with intent to sell and illegal possession of ammunition.

Meanwhile, in the early hours of this morning (Sept 24), Kathu police arrested two women in Patong after undercover officers suspected they were selling drugs on the street.

Kingkulab Buthdeekam, 36, was arrested with 4.40 grams of ya ice and Namthip Ponsalee, 33, with one ya bah pill in Soi Nanai.

Pol Lt Col Suthichai Tienpo from Kathu police said, “Undercover officers told us they thought the duo were selling drugs so we searched them and found four bags of ya ice on Kingkulab and one ya bah pill on Namthip.”

The two were taken to Kathu Police Station where they were both charged with illegal possession of a Category 1 drug with intent to sell.

PHUKET: Police are looking for clues at karaoke bars in Rasada that might shed light on the mysterious death of an Indonesian fisherman whose body was discovered at the Saphan Pla Fishing Pier in Rassada early this morning.

The body of 32-year-old Indonesian man, Supiyono, was found at about 6.30am about 100 metres from the boat he reportedly worked on, registered as Mann Horngj Inn No3 GTS-5393, belonging to the Indonsian Tuna Company. The body of Mr Supiyono, which was lying on its backside, was dressed in a ripped red shirt, and blue fisherman pants. Police noted a gash on the man’s head before having the body collected and transferred to hospital for post mortem examination. Police believe he had been dead for no less than 2 hours when they had arrived, and said they’d been told that the man’s boat had been docked in Phuket for three days. Throughout his visit, the victim had allegedly been frequenting local karaoke bars to “pursue girls”, police were told, and thus intend to continue their investigation based on this lead.

The body of 32-year-old Indonesian man, Supiyono, was found at about 6.30am about 100 metres from the boat he reportedly worked on, registered as Mann Horngj Inn No3 GTS-5393, belonging to the Indonsian Tuna Company.

The body of Mr Supiyono, which was lying on its backside, was dressed in a ripped red shirt, and blue fisherman pants. Police noted a gash on the man’s head before having the body collected and transferred to hospital for post mortem examination.

Police believe he had been dead for no less than 2 hours when they had arrived, and said they’d been told that the man’s boat had been docked in Phuket for three days.

Throughout his visit, the victim had allegedly been frequenting local karaoke bars to “pursue girls”, police were told, and thus intend to continue their investigation based on this lead.

PHUKET: A 34-year-old Phuket man has been arrested and charged with possession of a schedule 1 drug (methamphetamine) after he was stopped and searched at a checkpoint in Thalang’s Sisunthon sub-district.

Led by Police Lieutenant Colonel Amnuay Kraiwutanun, six officers from the Thalang Police Station set up the checkpoint along the route between Khao Lan and Bang Jo locales.

At about 9.30pm they stopped a suspicious looking man on a motorbike and a subsequent body search uncovered the drugs, 40 red Ya Ba (meth) pills. The suspect, named as Kachent Punthip of Thepkrasattri, was brought into custody.

PHUKET: Two men were arrested in Rassada in a police sting operation on Wednesday (Sept 16) when they were found to be in possession of a variety of drugs, guns and ammunition.

Somsak Leamlom, 30, and Pornchai Chaicharn, 31, were arrested with a total of total of 53.47 grams of crystal meth (ya ice), 57 methamphetamine pills (ya bah), two unregistered guns and 28 rounds of ammunition.

Provincial police announced the arrest Somsak Leamlom, 30, and Pornchai Chaicharn, 31, at a press conference held yesterday (Sept 17).

The two were arrested with a total of 53.47 grams of crystal meth (ya ice), 57 methamphetamine pills (ya bah), two unregistered guns and 28 rounds of ammunition at a rented room in Soi Kraisart in Rassada.

Pol Lt Ritthichai Chumchoy revealed that the arrests came after police previously arrested 31-year-old woman, Saowanee Kierhlier, on drug charges at 11am on Wednesday. Saowanee told police that she brought her drugs from a man named Somsak. She then took officers to the room where he stayed.

Police waited for Somsak to come out of his room, approached him and then went to search inside the room where they found 50.24g of ya ice, 70 ya bah bills, an unregistered 9mm Smith and Wesson pistol, nine rounds of 9mm bullets and 13 rounds of .32 bullets.

Police also seized drug taking paraphernalia and digital scales.

Somsak told police that half of the drugs belonged to a dealer named Pornchai who dropped them off at his room on September 13. He would pick up small amounts of the drugs every evening to sell to locals.

“At 8:30pm on Wednesday night, Pornchai showed up at Somsak’s door, when he spotted officers he attempted to flee. Officers managed to apprehend him and searched him. During the search they found 3.23g of ya ice and five ya bah pills under his cap. He also had a CZ 75 pistol and 6 rounds of 9mm bullets in his car,” said Pol Lt Ritthichai.

Pornchai told police that on September 11 he paid B6,000 for 3 grams of ya ice from a dealer named Boy and picked it up at Sarasin Bridge,. He also told them that he had bought the the gun from a man named Ekk in Phang Nga, who Boy had contacted for him, for B30,000.

Both Somsak and Pornchai are now being held at Provincial Police Station where they have been charged with illegal possession of Category 1 drugs with intent to sell and illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.

PHUKET: Following the anti-drug blitz by Kathu police over the weekend, Tah Chatchai police arrested three people attempting to bring drugs onto the island by public transport yesterday (Sept 13).

Yongyut Ratanapan, 25, was found carrying 22.25 grams of crystal methamphetamine on a bus arriving from Trang province.

The Kathu police arrested 10 drug suspects, including a Frenchman, and seized a variety of drugs in a blitz that began on Friday. (See story here.)

Meanwhile, Col Somchai Sanprasert of the Tha Chatchai Police led his team of officers in conducting random checks of Phuket inbound vehicles at the Tah Chatchai checkpoint at the northern tip of the island.

The checks results in three arrests. Yongyut Ratanapan, 25, was found carrying 22.25 grams of crystal methamphetamine on a bus arriving from Trang province.

“While we were carrying out our check on the bus, we saw that he was acting very nervously, so we searched him and found the drugs hidden in his left pants pocket,” Col Somchai said.

Soon after, police arrested two men – Anan Triphoka, 20, and Yuthana Sarnmas, 22 – arriving in a van from Nakorn Sri Thammarat. They were found to be carrying about one kilogram of kratom leaves.

Col Somchai urged motorists to be patient when police were carrying out random searches at the checkpoint.

“Thachatchai Police would like to ask for cooperation from all passengers arriving in Phuket via the checkpoint,” he said.

“We are trying our best to do our job. Drug dealers use every possible way to smuggle drugs into the province. We have to do our best to stop it.”

PHUKET: Another drug dealer was arrested in Rassada today (September 12) for possession of drugs and unregistered guns after police set up a sting operation.

Theerapong Kumpairan.

A drug dealer from Nakorn Sri Thamarat was arrested in Moo Baan Irawadee Bypass after another dealer gave his name and information to police when he was arrested yesterday (September 11).

At 2 pm, Theerapong Kumpairan, 31, was arrested with 10.77 grams of crystal meth, one non registered Thai pradit pistol, one Smith and Wesson revolver with six round of bullets inside, eight round of .38mm bullets, drug paraphernalia, and a digital scale.

The arrest of Theerapong came after police nabbed 25-year-old Prathan Wiwatsongchai at a house on Soi Bang Chee Lao with drugs and a gun that Prathan claimed belonged to Theerapong.

Pol Lt Ritthichai Chumchoy who led the arrest said, “At 1:30pm, Theerapong contacted Prathan and asked if Prathan can bring some crystal meth to his home, but Prathan told him to pick it up at his home instead.

When Theerapong arrived on a pick up truck to Prathan’s home, we approached him.”

Police then searched his home in Moo Baan Irawadee in Rassada where they found three bags of crystal meth in the kitchen, two guns and bullets in the bedroom.

Theerapong told police on August 27, he bought five bundles of meth pills for B230,000 per bundle (100,000 pills per bundle) and 200 grams of crystal meth (B230,000 per 100 g) from a woman known only as Jay, whom he contacted via mobile phone.

“I divided it into small bags and sold it to local dealers and addicts. I bought the bullets and guns from a woman named Uthumporn in Krabi on September 12, for B35,000, ” Theerapong told police.

Theerapong was being held at Provincial police station where he was charged with illegal possession of Category 1 drug with intent to sell and illegal possession of firearm and ammunition.

What? No cops behind him in the picture? Must have all been at the donut shop.

Phuket: The wanted temple thief was finally caught yesterday morning (September 11) after he returned to the scene of the crime for round two.

The temple thief is finally caught.

At 7:30am, Thalang police led by Lt Col Amnoy Krawuttinan arrested Thawatchai Sirimonkol, 24, at Wat Srisoonthon after the head monk called in and stated that someone had broken into wat and was hiding inside the temple.

Thawatchai was arrested with several stolen items including 24 yuan bank notes, one US dollar, B70, a bag containing B300 worth of coins, two Buddha amulets, and two mobile phones. Police also seized a Honda wave from him.

Thawatchai turned out to be the wanted suspect on the CCTV footage that police saw on September 5.

Somchay Saethan, 37, supervisor of the office of cultural tourism at Srisoonthon Temple or Wat Lipon in Thalang, filed a complain that a thief had broken into the office and stolen various items.

Lt Col Amnoy said, “Last time, Thawatchai stole over B10,000 in valuables, and today he returned to the temple to steal some more, but his luck ran out.”

Thawatchai was taken to Thalang police station where he was charged with theft.

What a brainiac! Goes back to the scene of the crime and gets caught.

Man, I didn’t know they had that many police in Phuket as there are in the photo. Must be some relatives in there.

Chinawat told police that he was upset that his girlfriend, Piyapa, broke up with him and told him to pack up and leave.

“We were engaged in a quarrel and I got very mad, so I shot her. I didn’t mean to hurt her, I was angry,” Chinawat told police.

Col Boonlert Onklang explained that at 3:30pm Thalang police received a call to investigate the shooting near soi Lipon Hua Harn in Srisoonthon. When the police arrived, rescue workers had already taken the victim, Piyapa Suanbonrae, 34, from Kamphaengphet, to hospital.

Maj Wichoti Meepop arrived at the hospital and questioned the victim about the incident. Piyapa told police that her boyfriend, Chinawat, shot her and fled away.

While police were in the process of looking for Chinawat, he went to the station and handed himself in.

Chinawat was being held at Thalang police station where he was charged with attempted murder and carrying a weapon into a public place without a permit.

PHUKET: A drug dealer from Nakorn Sri Thamarat was arrested in Rassada today (Sept 11) when he was caught in possession of 41 grams of crystal meth (ya ice) and 58 methamphetamine pills (ya bah) he was about to deliver. He also had a gun and two shotgun cartridges.

Prathan Wiwatsongchai was arrested at a house on Soi Bang Chee Lao in Rassada.

The arrest of Prathan came after police arrested 41-year-old Manoo Thipmanee earlier in the day also for drug possession.

Manoo told police that Prathan belonged to a drug network operated from Nakorn Sri Thamarat Prison by an inmate named Sopon who he contacted by mobile phone to order drugs.

Manoo contacted Prathan to buy drugs as a set-up arranged by police and asked to buy 30 ya bah pills at a cost of B170 per pill and 3 grams of ya ice at B2,500 per gram. Prathan agreed to deliver the drugs to Manoo’s home on Soi Bang Chee Lao.

“We approached Prathan as soon as we saw him approaching the house on with his motorbike and searched him.

PHUKET: Two men were arrested by the Phuket narcotics suppression unit in Phuket Town on Tuesday (Sept 8) and Wednesday (Sept 9) when they were found to be in possession of crystal meth (ya ice).

Pasathon Thongrak (left) from Phuket and Sanay Saesing from were caught with a total of 11.69 grams of ya ice.

The duo, 36-year-old Pasathon Thongrak from Phuket and Sanay Saesing, 33, from Trang, were caught with a total of 11.69 grams of ya ice.

Lt Ritthichai Chumchoy said he and his team first raided the rented room of Sanay at the Sabai Mansion in Talad Yai at 7:30pm on September 8 after receiving a tip-off from undercover officers that he had been selling drugs in the area.

“When we saw Sanayʼs Isuzu in the apartmentʼs car park we raided his room and conducted a search for drugs. We found two bags of ya ice containing 11.37 grams in total,” said Maj Ritichai.

Afer being questioned at the police station, Sanay told police that he would buy 5 grams of ya ice for B2,400 from a man known only as X who worked as a truck driver in Ranong. X dropped the drugs off to him in front of Phuket Union Group building near Rassada pier at 7 am on Tuesday.

Sanay added that he would divide the drugs into smaller bag to sell to his customers who would contact him by phone.

Sanay also gave police the name and address of another local dealer. And on Wednesday, at 4:30 pm, police arrested Pasathon with .32 grams of crystal meth in Soi Tha Chin in Rassada.

Police said Pasathon denied that he sold drugs but did take them himself. He told police that he bought the drugs from a man name Pla in Patong.

Both men are now being held at Phuket Provincial Police Station where Sanay has been charged with illegal possession of a Category 1 drug with intent to sell, and Pasathon with illegal possession of a Category 1 drug.

PHUKET: A territorial defense volunteer from Kathu was arrested early this morning (Sept 9) in Patong with a gun and bullets after he allegedly slapped the face of a tourist with the pistol breaking his nose.

Amnard Choodet was arrested after allegations he smashed a Kuwaiti tourist’s nose with his gun.

At 4:30am, Kathu police arrested Amnard Choodet, 38, with a .38 Taurus revolver and 18 bullets on Taweewong Rd following allegations he smashed a Kuwaiti tourist’s nose with his gun. The victim, Fahad Al Mutariy, 57, was taken to hospital to treat the damage to his nose.

Amnard was held at Kathu Police Station and charged with carrying a firearm in a public place without permission and is being investigated for the assault.

“He is a member of the Kathu territorial defense volunteers,” said Maj Sarawut Phutpornaphibarn who seized Amnardʼs identification card and weapon permit.

The arrest of Amnard came when police officers spotted two men fighting in front of Royal Palm Hotel on Taweewong Rd. They broke up the fight and took Mr Fahad to Patong Hospital. They apprehended Amnard and seized his pistol which he still was holding in his hand.

Mr Fahad told police that he was walking down the street when Amnard approached him, he then attacked him and smashed his nose with the gun.

PHUKET: The chief of Phuket police is appealing for anyone who may have information about an incident which occurred at Chalong pier on July 22, and resulted in the death of a 35-year-old musician, to come forward and not post misleading information on Facebook or other social media.

Pol Maj Gen Pachara Boonyasit held a meeting yesterday (Sept 8) to follow up on an assault case that resulted in the death of a local musician named as 35-year-old Rachet Eidjareon, after he died at Vachira Hospital on Sunday (Sept 6).

Following Mr Rachetʼs death, rumours started circulating on social media that he was beaten up and died because he had attempted to stop a woman from being raped on the morning of July 22.

Maj Gen Pachara said, “I contacted Chalong Police Chief, Col Nopphadon Thiriprawat, as soon as I heard these rumors on social media. Col Nopphadon confirmed that this was an assault case which happened on July 22.

“Mr Rachet was beaten with a motorcycle helmet and was found bleeding at the pier by his friends. “The victim’s friends who were at the pier that night came to file a complaint at Chalong Police station on August 1 stating that Mr Rachet had been assaulted by a gang of teenagers who were hanging out at the pier. However, there was no mention of any rape in the report.

“This case is still being investigated and police are still looking for the suspect/s who assaulted Mr Rachet,” he said.

“Those who are posting messages on social media stating that Mr Rachet was beaten to death after he rescued a woman from being raped, and that Mr Rachet has been forgotten about by society and that authorities did not do enough to solve the case, or anyone who knows about or was witness to the incident, to please come forward so we can help each other solve this case.

“For now, the only information police have is that the victim was assaulted and the time frame when the incident took place. No rape has been report to police.

“We will be talking to the person who posted this message as maybe he or she knows something we don’t,” sad Maj Gen Pachara.

“Another group of teenagers were already drinking in the area prior to their arrival.

“At 2:30am, Mr Jamras left the pier while Mr Prampree and Mr Nattarin went fishing. When Mr Prampree and Mr Nattarin returned they found Mr Rachet lying unconscious at the pier and the group of teenagers were gone.

“Mr Prampree and Mr Nattarin took Mr Rachet to the nearby tourist rescue centre before taking him to Vachira Hospital. On August 1, the group went to Chalong police and filed a complain of assault,” said Lt Col Jareu.

Meanwhile, Pol Col Nopphadon Thiriprawat of Chalong Police added, “Our records do not mention that Mr Rachet helped someone, it was reported only that he was found collapsed on the pier. This is according to the complaint filed by Mr Rachet’s friends.

“We have questioned more than 10 people including family and friends of the victim, they all want officers to do whatever they can according to the law to find the suspects. We looked at CCTV footage from the area but as the incident happened at night the CCTV images were very blurred. We have never stopped looking for the suspects,” he said.

PHUKET: Police are currently looking for a gunman who yesterday afternoon (Sept 7) shot a 12-year-old schoolboy in the leg whilst he was still at school taking part in the evening parade.

Dang was transferred from the Baan Manik Clinic to Thalang Hospital where doctors removed the bullet from his leg.

Thalang police received a call from staff at Thalang Hospital at 4:30pm stating they were treating a 12-year-old boy, named as Dang (not real name), from Baan Manik School in Srisoonthon, who had sustained gunshot wounds to his right leg.

Police arrived at the emergency room where Dang was being treated and were told that he and his schoolmates were lining up in the courtyard of the school ready to take part in the evening parade before going home.

“I felt something hit my leg, and when i looked down I saw blood, then I felt pain,” Dang told officers.

Dangʼs classmates alerted their teachers and they took him to the Baan Manik Clinic as it was close to the school. However, Dang had to be transferred to Thalang Hospital where doctors were able to operate and remove the bullet from his leg.

Maj Kraisorn Boonprasop from Thalang police said, “Dang said he has never had any problem with anyone. His classmates said he has no enemies or rivals. It is possible that a group of teenagers drove past the school and fired a shot into school for fun or tried to shoot an animal but the bullet struck Dang’s leg instead.

“Whatever the case, we are investigating and will find out which direction the bullet came from and who is responsible for the shooting.”

PHUKET: Police arrested six men and two woman over the weekend (Sept 4 to Sept 6), who were all found to be in possession of various drugs including kratom leaves, crystal meth (ya ice) and methamphetamine pills (ya bah), a gun and ammunition.

All those arrested are currently being held at Phuket City Police Station with the exception of Kitipong who is being held at Vichit Police Station.

On Friday (Sept 4), Wiwat Homnua, 21, was arrested with 510 grams of kratom leaves and Chokdee Nunoi, 27, with 0.96 grams of ya ice. Wiwat was charged with possession of a category 5 drug, Chokdee with possession of a category 1 drug.

Kitisak Seaton, 43; Anitwat Chanan, 30, and a Myanmar national named as Nai, 34, were arrested on Saturday (Sept 5) with 3.40 grams of ya ice, 1.17 grams of ya ice and 10 ya bah pills, and 4.11 grams of ya ice respectively. Kitisak and Anitwat were both charged with possession of a category 1 drug/s, Nai with possession of a category 1 drug and staying in Thailand without permission.

Whilst yesterday (Sept 6), Saowapah Phanalee, 23, and a 17 year old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, were arrested with 94.50 grams of ya ice and 4,674 ya bah pills. They also has in their possesion four shotgun cartridges. Both were charged with possession of category 1 drugs with intent to sell and having ammiunition without permission.

Also yesterday, Kitipong Sealew, 28, was arrested when he was found to be in possession of 1.13g of ya ice, a gun and 131 bullets. He was charged with possession of a category 1 drug with intent to sell and having a gun and ammunition without permission.

All those arrested are currently being held at Phuket City Police Station with the exception of Kitipong who is being held at Vichit Poilce Station.

PHUKET: Police are currently looking for a man seen on CCTV breaking into an office at the Srisoonthon temple in Thalang and stealing over B10,000 in valuables.

A image of the thief captured on CCTV.

Thalang police received a call at 2:30pm today (Sept 5) from Somchay Saethan, 37, supervisor of the office of cultural tourism at Srisoonthon Temple or Wat Lipon in Thalang stating that a thief had broken into the office and stolen various items.

Police arrived at the scene and checked CCTV footage which showed a Thai male around 170-175 centremetres tall use a wrench to crack a window to gain entry to the office. He is seen going inside and then leaving five minutes later.

The thief stole a gold chain worth around B5,600, one mobile phone worth B5,000 and B200 in cash, police were told.

The three people who the items belonged to, named as Weerasak Saeyang, 18, Zhiwping Saezerng, 42, and Jalae Saeyang ,38, all employees at the temple, took police to the room which had been broken into and told them that the thief had gained entry via a sliding window.

“All the workers were in another building at the time of the break-in and when they returned to the office found that the room has been ransack,” said Lt Sanit Nookong of the Thalang police.

“We are now looking to find the man in the CCTV footage and bring him in for questioning,” he added.

PHUKET: A big time Phuket drug dealer who last month escaped arrest when he fled from his home just before a police raid which netted B5 million worth of drugs was arrested in Songkhla on Wednesday night (Sept 3). –

Anuwat Thongton was wanted on an arrested warrant issued in Phuket on August 11.

With the help of Thungtamsao police, Chief of the Phuket Narcotic Suppression Unit, Lt Col Prawit Eagchuwn and his team arrested Koh Kaew resident, Anuwat Thongton, 31, at a house in the Thungtamsao sub district of Haad Yai.

Anuwat was wanted on an arrest warrant issued by Phuket Provincial court on August 11 for possession of Category 1 drugs (methamphetamine (ya bah) and crystal meth (ya ice)) with intent to sell and illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.

At a press conference held yesterday (Sept 4), Lt Col Prawit said that on August 5 he led a team from the Phuket City Narcotic Suppression Unit to raid a house in Moo Baan Srisuchart Grand View 5 in soi Lakkongsi in Rassada where Anuwat had been staying.

During the raid, police seized 2.15 kilos of ya ice, 1,469 ya bah pills, four pistols and 400 bullets, along with two safes, three mobile phones, digital scales, a wallet containing ATM cards and an ID card, a bank account book, drug taking paraphernalia, a Toyota pick-up truck and a motorbike.

However, Anuwat had fled the house just before the raid. (See story here)

“We have been carrying out surveillance on Anuwat and knew that he had been hiding at a house in Thungtamsao. As soon as we got the warrant we raided the home with local officers,” said Lt Col Prawit.

PHUKET: Police are currently hunting for two men who last night (Sept 4) took part in a shooting which put a motorist in hospital.

Police question Mr Sakarin at Thalang Hospital where he is being treated for gunshot wounds to his calf.

Thalang policeʼs Maj Nattaya Supanpong received a call from staff at Thalang Hospital at 9pm last night who stated that they were treating a 29-year-old man, named as Sakarin Whanthin from Pa Khlok, who had sustained gunshot wounds to his right calf.

Maj Nattaya said “Mr Sakarin told police that he was heading home alone on his motorbike on Ao Po-Baan Aokung Rd in Pa Khlok when two men on motorbike started to follow him. Suddenly they cut in front of him and forced him to stop.”

“When I stopped the passenger on the motorbike pulled out a gun and fired at twice at my calf. They then sped off,” said Mr Sakarin.

Maj Nattaya added, “Even though Mr Sakarin got shot twice he was still conscious and managed to ride the motorbike home. His relatives took him straight to hospital. Mr Sakarin insisted he hasnʼt had any personal grievance with anyone.”

Police have yet to identify the weapon used in the incident. However, they are now looking at CCTV from the area to assist them in finding the two suspects.

PHUKET: A waiter at a pub in Phuket Town has been arrested for stealing bags left behind in the pub by Malaysian tourists after he had presented one of the bags to police, claiming that he had found it on the road.

Panupan Sookhawong, 23, from Udon Thani, was arrested after he tried returning one of the bags to police as lost property. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub

Panupan Sookhawong, 23, from Udon Thani, presented himself to the Phuket Tourist Police headquarters on Yaowarat Rd in Phuket Town just after midnight early this morning (Sept 4).

He also presented a bag that he said he had found on the road in front of road near Satree Phuket School.

However, the bag was recognised as one reported stolen by Malaysian tourists Lim See Chong, 52, Liow Keong, 49, and Zhang Cheng, 47, who were at the at Sofa pub on Dibuk Rd, where Panupon worked, on Wednesday night.

The tourists filed a complaint at Tourist Police Station at 2:40pm the next day, said Maj Thanapan Akarakantarakorn of the Tourist Police.

“They said they were at the pub until late Wednesday night,” Maj Thanapan explained. “They left the pub and soon after realized that they had forgotten the two bags on the floor under the table where they were sitting. When they returned for the bags, they were gone.”

The two bags reported stolen reportedly contained Lim See Chong and Liow Keong’s passports; two cell phones; an iPad; identification cards and driver licenses; and B2,000, 200 ringgit and 500 yuan in cash.

“We asked around and no one saw the bags so we came to police,” said Mr Liow Keong.

When Panupon arrived at the Tourist Police Station, his luck ran out.

“We questioned him and confronted him with CCTV footage from inside the pub that showed him picking up the bags,” said Maj Thanapan.

At this point, Panupan confessed that he had stolen the bags.

He then led officers to his rented room at Sak Apartment in Bang Niew, Phuket Town, where the remaining stolen items were found hidden inside a shoebox.

Panupan was charged with committing theft during the nighttime, Maj Thanapan said.

All five were taken to Kathu Police Station, where Manop and Weerapol were charged with illegal possession of Category 1 with intent to sell. Urai and Wijittra were charged with illegal possession of Category 1 drug and Blackwood was charged with illegal possession of Category 5 drug.

PHUKET: A 59-year-old French tourist was arrested at a Patong money exchange booth yesterday (Sept 2) when he attempted to exchange a fake one hundred Euro bank note. The man, named as Rene Louis Regrault, was later found to be in possession of a further five fake notes.

Rene Louis Regrault told police that he had withdrawn the fake notes from a bank in France.

Police Senior Sergeant Major Boonyarit Intakarn of the tourist police told The Phuket News, “We were alerted to investigate a man exchanging money at the Shino Moneychanger booth in Bangla Rd after a member of staff there suspected that the notes he was exchanging were counterfeit.

“We took the note to a nearby bank to have it checked and they confirmed it was fake.

“When we went to check Mr Regraultʼs rented room on Sirirat Rd we found five more counterfeit bank notes. Two of them even had the same last digits as the one we seized at the exchange counter.”

Rene told police that he withdrew the notes from a bank in France before taking his trip to Thailand and had no idea they were fake.

Rene was taken to Kathu Police Station where he was charged with bringing counterfeit money into Thailand and possession of counterfeit notes with intent to use them.

PHUKET: Two youths have been arrested for the fatal shooting of one man and injuring another at Chalong Pier, a major jump-off point for Phuket tourists visiting nearby islands, last Friday night (August 28).

Isayat Malee, 28, from Narathiwat, died from a gunshot wound fired at close range in the car park at Chalong Pier last Friday. His friend Amdee Jaolaeh, 19, from Pattani, was wounded in the attack. (See story here.)

“They confessed that they fully intended to shoot to kill when they opened fire,” he said, though both suspects remained silent throughout the press conference at Phuket Provincial Police Station, in Phuket Town, today.

The pair were found in possession of a 9mm Glock, a 9mm magazine and a total of 19 bullets

and drug paraphernalia, Gen Pachara said.

Ekkasit and Kawatchai have been charged with premeditated murder, illegal possession of a firearm and carrying a firearm in public, he added.

“Kawatchai confessed to firing the gun,” Gen Pachara said.

The motive behind the shooting seems to be nothing more than personal conflict.

“The main reason of this shooting case is that they did not like each other,” Gen Pachara said. “They started arguing and the victim [Isayat] raised his voiced against the shooter.”